


Mal and Ben's Tale as Old as Time

by PerkyGoth14



Category: Beauty and the Beast (2017), Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:47:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 36,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23181184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerkyGoth14/pseuds/PerkyGoth14
Summary: When will I stop uploading useless stuff? Anyway, it's time for Mal's engagement party for her upcoming marriage to Ben so that they can rule the Kingdom of Auradon together. As the two get ready to celebrate, a storm hits and they're suddenly sent into a brand new adventure which is very similar to a tale as old as time involving Ben's parents before they met and fell in love.
Relationships: Adam/Belle (Disney), Ben/Mal (Disney: Descendants)
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

It was a very peaceful day in Auradon Prep so far. It was roughly a week after the final battle and the people on the Isle and in the kingdom were able to see each other on a regular basis now, especially with Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos inviting Ben, Doug, Lonnie, and Jane over to meet their parents on the Isle and have future plans. This week was Mal's engagement party and she let out a small sigh as she was given a letter from Felicity that arrived in the mail from a pigeon named Valiant as it had bittersweet news and she was about to meet Belle and some other girls other than Evie for the party to celebrate her future wedding with Ben. The letter read:

**_"Dear Mal,_ **

**_How are you and the others? I miss you all very much and I am very sorry that I will be unable to attend your engagement party this week that Queen Belle has planned for you. Give my love to everybody, but I promise that Chip and I will be over in time for your wedding. Hope to see you guys then._ **

**_Your very good friend, Felicity Precious Chantal Forte"_ **

"Well, at least they'll be at the wedding." Mal sighed.

Honchkrow soon woke up to see Mal with a small smile.

"Hey, Honch," Mal smiled back a bit and petted her Pokemon on the head. "Ready to start a new day?"

Honchkrow nodded.

"All right, let's get going," Mal smiled as she got ready to go out the door. "The engagement party should be going on pretty soon. At least, that's what Belle said."

Honchkrow nodded in agreement. Mal and Honchkrow soon got themselves ready for the day.

* * *

"It's time to wake up, Ben, dear." Mrs. Potts smiled as she came to the sleeping future king.

"Coming, Mrs. Potts," Ben smiled back as he soon woke up to get ready before his father's dog licked his face. "Okay! Sultan, I'm awake!" he then said while laughing.

Sultan panted as he felt successful in waking up Ben.

"Let's get some breakfast in you boys," Mrs. Potts smiled. "I believe your mother decided to have the engagement party with the girls today, Benjamin."

"Sounds good, Mrs. Potts," Ben smiled back as he got out of bed before Lumiere and Cogsworth came in to give him his clothes for the day. "Guess the guys and I will be with Dad for the day then."

Sultan panted as he nodded.

"You wanna come too, boy?" Ben chuckled as he pet the dog.

Sultan let out an excited bark. Ben laughed a bit before he got washed up as Lumiere and Cogsworth came to take care of him to get ready for the day, but unknown to anyone, Ben and Mal would be in for an adventure.

* * *

Eventually, Ben and Mal came out to see each other and shared a warm hug and kiss.

"You have fun with my mom and the girls." Ben smiled at his future wife.

"You have fun with your dad and the guys," Mal smiled back at her future husband before smirking. "But not too much fun without me."

"Yeah." Honchkrow smirked as he was on Mal's right shoulder.

"You have fun too, Honchkrow," Ben chuckled to the Pokemon until he saw the look on Mal's face. "You miss Felicity, don't you?"

"Yeah... I do a lot, actually," Mal admitted. "I might not had known her as long as I knew Evie, Jay, and Carlos, but she felt like a sister to all of us."

"Believe me, Gabrielle and I know what you mean." Ben smiled wearily.

Honchkrow nodded in agreement. Suddenly, an apple was thrown at Ben.

"Ow!" Ben yelped before looking over.

"Hey, man, you coming or what?" Jay smirked as he stood with Carlos.

"You better go to them," Mal advised Ben. "They can get impatient sometimes."

"You coming or what? You coming or what?" Chatot parroted what Jay said as he flew over to Ben.

Jay laughed a bit.

"Come on, Ben!" Dude called out. "We can't miss the party!"

"I hear there's a lot of good food there!" Ruffy added, standing beside Dude.

"All right, all right, I'm coming," Ben smiled as he soon walked over with Chatot before waving goodbye to Mal. "See ya later!" he then called out, but unknown to him, that would be sooner than imagined.

Mal smiled back as she waved at him as Evie walked over with Meowsic.

"Are you ready to have some fun?" Evie asked Mal.

"Yeah, let's get this engagement party started!" Mal cheered.

* * *

Soon, they came to the courtyard where the girls and women of the Auradon Kingdom were invited, including some from the Isle, such as Ginny Gothel, Celia's older sister Freddie, Claudine Frollo, Hermie Bing (who was the daughter of the Ringmaster that Dumbo used to work for), Yzla (the daughter of Yzma), Quinn Hearts (the daughter of The Queen of Hearts), CJ and Harriet Hook (the daughters of Captain Hook and Harry's sisters), and Uma as they were welcomed with open arms. The Three Good Fairies were also there and though they felt emotional about something, they were still happy for the occasion.

"This sure is going to be a lovely time." Azula the Blue Fairy smiled warmly.

"Yes, it is." Rose the Pink Fairy nodded.

Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather smiled, though still felt concerned.

"Are you three okay?" Tinkerbell asked the Three Good Fairies.

"Oh, don't worry about us, dears," Merryweather replied softly. "Today's about what will happen for Prince Ben and Mal."

"What do you mean?" Rose the Pink Fairy asked.

"Don't worry about it right now, let's just get ready." Fauna told their fellow fairies.

The other fairies felt concerned for Aurora's fairy godmothers, but they finished getting ready as the guests showed up.

* * *

"I gotta tell ya, having some food here will be better than serving fish and chips all the time." Uma said as she came by with Octi who was wrapped around her shoulders like a shawl.

Octi nodded in agreement. Sophie was soon shown with her Pancham.

" _You_ got invited too?" Uma asked.

"Of course," Sophie replied. "Master Yen Sid said I could start going to school here rather than grading papers or running errands for him back in Dragon Hall. I gotta tell you, being a sorcerer's apprentice is exhausting."

"I'm sure King Mickey Mouse would agree with you on that." Uma said as she pet her Octillery who nodded again.

* * *

Eventually, Mal came by with Evie so that they could sit down and start the engagement party.

"Can I be a bridesmaid?" Dizzy asked Mal hopefully.

"Uh, I dunno about that, but I'm sure you could make the bridesmaids some nice dresses for the wedding." Mal smiled at the young fashionista.

"I'll take it." Dizzy smiled back.

"All right, everybody," Belle smiled warmly. "Let's have some fun!"

The girls cheered a bit as they decided to have some engagement party fun, but unknown to anyone, a new adventure was coming, especially for Mal and Ben. Of course, it would happen very soon. Everybody seemed to have a lot of fun with their own activities so far. However, as Mal and Ben had fun with their friends before their wedding day would come, they both gasped as they heard some thunder rumbling and a lightning bolt shot through the sky as it was suddenly dark as night.

"That's strange," Belle frowned. "There isn't supposed to be a storm this week."

"So then are there storm clouds?" Meowstic asked.

"We should probably get inside!" Adam's voice called.

"Adam!" Belle called out to her husband as Gabrielle rushed over to her mother.

"Belle!" Adam called back.

The boys and girls came together to gather indoors as a storm seemed to hit them as the sky was pitch black with gray clouds as lightning bolts shot all around. Ben and Mal were about to go with them, but they seemed to separate from within the crowd, feeling lost before a bright light from a lightning bolt flashed in both their eyes and they suddenly found themselves in new places, but the question was just, _where_ were they?

* * *

There was suddenly a castle shown with a collection of bright red roses shown as a woman came to the roses and began to pick one of the roses. The rose was soon zoomed into before red make-up was shown. There was a blonde girl around the age of Mal and Ben looking around before she seemed to disappear with a small smirk.

"Once upon a time in the hidden heart of France, a handsome young Prince lived in a beautiful castle," A woman's voice began to narrate as a young man was being dressed up and made-up by a maid who applied make-up for him and got him ready for a party. "Although he had everything his heart desired, the Prince was selfish and unkind. He taxed the village to fill his castle with the most beautiful objects-"

"Master, it's time." The majordomo called as he held a pocket watch.

The prince then waved the footman away.

"Oui, maître." The footman nodded before giving a candelabra to the prince as he looked at himself with his ornate hand mirror.

"And his parties with the most beautiful people." The narrator then continued.

Once he was at the party, the prince snapped his fingers, telling them all to start the party. The ornate room is filled with beautiful people from all corners of the world, each on display for the Prince's pleasure. A circle of eligible maidens bowed their heads. Seated in a throne chair dominated by a majestic coat of arms, the Prince snapped his fingers impatiently at the maestro who was playing his instrument known as a harpsichord as he motioned to a woman beside him as she carried a small dog who almost looked like Adam's dog, Sultan. The prince soon came out to dance with the women, though he quickly found himself overwhelmed from the attention.

"Oh, how divine, Glamour, music and magic combine, See the maidens so anxious to shine~," The woman began to sing merrily. "Look for a sign that enhances, Chances, She'll be his special one, What a display!, What a breathtaking thrilling array, Every prince, every dog has his day, Let us sing with passion, gusto, Fit to bust; Oh, not a care in the world~"

The woman from earlier was soon seen knocking on the glass doors with her walking stick. The others soon looked over as the doors opened themselves and suddenly the candle lights went out as the mysterious woman soon appeared.

"Then, one night, an unexpected intruder arrived at the castle, seeking shelter from the bitter storm," The narrator continued as the prince soon grabbed a lit candle from the footman as he came to see the woman up close as she appeared to be a bit old and ugly. "As a gift, she offered the Prince a single rose."

The prince began to laugh, thinking that letting the old and ugly woman stay in the castle until the storm would pass as ridiculous. Many of the other guests began to laugh along with him.

"Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the Prince turned the woman away," The narrator soon informed as the woman fell to her knees in a begging position. "But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within."

The prince soon took the rose with a scoff and decided to throw it on the floor which deeply upset the woman before he thought about what she said, especially since there was suddenly a golden glow in the room.

"And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's outward appearance melted away to reveal a beautiful Enchantress." The narrator then said as the woman soon stood up and became a young and beautiful magical woman.

The women that were invited soon screamed as they began to run out of the room.

"The prince begged for forgiveness, but it was too late," The narrator stated as the guests rushed out of the castle as quickly as possible as a boy was shown to be alone as he didn't know where to go. "For she had seen that there was no love in his heart."

An older girl soon rushed over to the boy before she held him and their mother came for them.

"Chip! Carina!" A woman called as she hugged the children before seeing that the prince was slowly turning into a monster. "Oh, my!"

"As punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there." The narrator soon said as the servants gathered together as the Enchantress decided to curse them as well.

The cursed prince was soon clawing at the portrait of himself.

"As days bled into years, the prince and his servants were forgotten by the world. For the enchantress had erased all memory of them from the minds of the people they loved, but the rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose," The narrator continued as the infamous bell jar with the enchanted rose was shown as the prince was now a monstrous beast. "If he could learn to love another and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a beast?"

* * *

"Ugh... My head hurts..." Mal's voice groaned as all she saw was darkness before she looked all around and appeared to be in a bed that was not her own. "Ben, what happ-" she then started to ask before looking around. "Ben? Ben! ...Wait, this isn't my room..." she then said as she got out of the bed and now wore what appeared to be a pale purple dress with a pair of black boots. "Hello? Is anybody there?"

"Mal!" Honchkrow called as he flew out towards his trainer, looking happy to see her.

"Honchkrow!" Mal smiled. "Where are we?"

"I'm not sure, but this old guy found us and brought us to his home." Honchkrow told her.

"Old guy, huh?" Mal asked as she petted him while he perched on her other arm. "Guess we better explore," she then looked down at her outfit and yelped. "Augh! ...And hopefully, find some better purple clothes."

"Well, judging by how his daughter dresses; I think we might have arrived in a different part of time." Honchkrow said.

The Pokemon and his trainer soon walked along as they saw a small old man at work with something.

"That's the old man." Honchkrow told Mal as he pointed at the old man with his left wing.

"I see..." Mal nodded. "Erm... Uh... Hi, there!" she then called out.

The man soon hit his head which made Mal and Honchkrow wince before he soon turned around. "Ah, good!" he then smiled at her. "You're awake."

"Is your head okay?" Mal asked.

"Oh, yes, yes; it'll take more than a hit on the head to take me down." The man chuckled.

Mal gave a small smile and laughed quietly at that.

"I found you last night," The man said to Mal. "You seemed to be lost with your little bird friend, so I decided to take you home. I hope that dress fits you alright."

"Um, yes, I think so," Mal nodded as she looked down, though she would prefer a dress that Ben got for her or her usual clothes, especially her gloves or jacket. "Thank you, sir."

"You're quite welcome, dear." The man smiled.

"Uh, could you tell us where we are?" Mal asked. "Uh, we're not exactly from around here."

"Oh, surely you know that this is France," The man told her. "You must've hit your head really bad."

"France?" Mal's face paled a bit. "We're in France? Th-That can't be... I'm supposed to be in Auradon for my engagement party."

"Auradon? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that name." The man replied.

Mal looked a bit more sick and overwhelmed.

"Papa? Papa..." A girl's voice called.

"In here, Belle, and so is our new guest." The man called back gently.

"Belle?" Mal asked, looking confused.

An older girl wearing a blue dress with long light brown hair soon came out, looking a bit different than the Belle that Mal was used to.

"This is my daughter," The man introduced. "Belle. Belle, this is... I'm sorry, what was your name, dear?" he then asked the purple-haired girl.

"Oh, uh, my name is Mal and this is Honchkrow." Mal replied as she petted her Pokemon who ruffled his feathers around her.

"It's very nice to meet you both." Belle smiled.

"Uh, yeah, it's nice to meet you too," Mal gave a small smile back. "What were you about to do?"

"I have to return this book to Pere Robert," Belle replied as she showed them a book. "Maybe you'd like to come with me to get to know the village better since you're far from home."

"Hmm... Yeah, I guess that's a good idea." Mal nodded.

Honchkrow nodded in agreement.

"Don't mind if Honchkrow comes too?" Mal then asked.

"I'd like the company," Belle nodded. "Honchkrow, what an interesting name."

"Uh, yeah, I think so too." Mal smiled bashfully as she decided not to mention Pokemon just yet.

* * *

The two girls and flying Pokemon soon went out to the village. Mal looked all around in wide wonder, not sure why or how she got here, but decided to just go with it.

"Little town, it's a quiet village, Every day like the one before, Little town full of little people, Waking up to say~" Belle began to sing on the way into the village as she looked at the clock on the church not too far away from her home as it was almost 8:00 AM.

And once it was 8:00 A.M., three shuttered windows soon opened.

"Bonjour. Bonjour. Bonjour. Bonjour." The villagers greeted to one another as Belle and Mal passed through as Honchkrow flew around while some people stared at him since he didn't look like a normal bird.

"There goes the baker with his tray like always, The same old bread and rolls to sell~," Belle sang as she took some bread from the baker and petted a horse as she passed through with Mal. "Every morning just the same, Since the morning that we came, To this poor provincial town~"

"Good morning, Belle," A man greeted her. "Who's your new friend?"

"Good morning, Monsieur Jean," Belle replied. "This is Mal."

"Hey." Mal gave a simple wave.

"Have you lost something?" Belle then asked the man as he had a cart full of pottery.

"I believe I have," Jean replied. "Problem is, I can't remember what. Well, I'm sure it will come to me," he then shrugged before he then asked, "Where are you off to?"

"To return this book to Pere Robert," Belle replied as she showed the book with pride. "It's about two lovers in fair Verona."

"Sounds boring." Jean said.

"To each their own." Mal shrugged.

"Well said, my new friend." Belle smiled.

Mal smiled back fondly, even if this Belle was different from the one she knew, it was good that they were getting along like they were now.

"Look there she goes, that girl is strange no question~" A group of school boys sang about Belle as they marched to their schoolhouse, passing by the schoolmaster.

"She looks distracted, can't you tell?~" The schoolmaster sang as he rushed the boys into school.

Mal and Honchkrow glared a bit at what the villagers said about Belle, though she didn't seem to mind as she carried on her business as usual. Mal yelped as she nearly fell into the duck pond, but Belle showed her how to skip stones to get across as they continued to keep going regardless of what the villagers said about Belle.

"Never part of any crowd~," The women sang as they did some laundry with young girls who were learning how to do laundry themselves. "'Cuz her head's up on some cloud~"

"No denying she's a funny girl, That Belle~" The little girls sang along as Belle, Mal, and Honchkrow passed by them.

"Bonjour!~" Belle greeted a villager.

"Good day!" The villager who was a farmer replied. "How is your family?"

"Well, at least he's friendly." Honchkrow commented to himself.

"Bonjour, good day, how is your wife?" A beautiful woman asked a villager who soon saw his wife and panicked as he tried to flirt with her.

"I need six eggs, that's too expensive~" Another woman sang.

"Six eggs are expensive?" Mal asked herself. "This must be the Sherwood Forest where Prince John used to rule until Robin Hood stopped him."

"There must be more than this provincial life~" Belle sang as she led Honchkrow and Mal into the church with her to meet her friend, Pere Robert, who was at work right now.

* * *

The man was soon seen, sweeping some dust away on a window. "Ah, if it isn't the only bookworm in town," he then greeted once he saw Belle come inside. "So, where did you run off to this week?"

"Two cities in Northern Italy. I didn't want to come back!" Belle smiled warmly as she brought the book she had borrowed back to the kind man. "Have you got any new places to go?" she then asked.

"I'm afraid not, but you may re-read any of the old ones that you'd like." Pere Robert replied.

Honchkrow looked over to some books before one interested him. Mal also decided to take a look.

"New friend?" Pere Robert asked, seeing Mal.

"Uh, yeah," Mal replied. "My name's Mal."

"I thought she'd like to come here," Belle added before seeing the book that Honchkrow saw. "Your library makes our small corner of the world feel big."

Honchkrow soon carefully took the book he saw and handed over to Belle.

"Oh, lovely choice." Belle smiled at Honchkrow.

Honchkrow smiled back, feeling proud of himself.

"Vonveryage." Pere Robert told them once Belle held onto the book.

"Bye." Belle smiled before she left with Mal and Honchkrow.

* * *

"Look there she goes, that girl is so peculiar~" Three men sang as they saw Belle, Mal, and Honchkrow.

"I wonder if she's feeling well?~" A woman added.

"With a dreamy far-off look, And her nose stuck in a book~," A group of cheese sellers sang as Belle walked among the crowd with her new book and new friends, passing by the florists. "What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle~"

Honchkrow began to fly over the book Belle was reading so he could read it too.

"Oh! Isn't this amazing?, It's my favorite part because you'll see~," Belle smiled at Honchkrow as she showed him the book as it was one of her favorites. "Here's where she meets Prince Charming, But she won't discover that it's him, 'Til chapter 3~"

"Sounds like Audrey's parents." Honchkrow commented to Mal.

Mal nodded in agreement.

"Now it's no wonder that her name means 'beauty', Her looks have got no parallel~" An older village woman sang with a bright smile as Belle passed by with Mal and Honchkrow.

"But behind that fair façade, I'm afraid she's rather odd~" A trio of girls sang.

"Very different from the rest of us~" The woman added.

"She's nothing like the rest of us~," The trio replied. "Yes, different from the rest of us is Belle~"

* * *

Two men were soon seen arriving on horseback, only outside of the village.

"Look at her, LeFou," One man said as he peered through his spyglass, looking at Belle and only Belle with lust in his eyes. "My future wife. Belle is the most beautiful girl in the village. That makes her the best."

"But she's so well-read," The other man known as LeFou rebutted. "And you're so... Athletically inclined."

"I know," The first man said. "Belle can be argumentative as she is beautiful."

"Exactly!" LeFou smiled. "Who needs her when you've got us!"

"Yes... But ever since the war, I've felt like I've been missing something," The first man who was Gaston replied. "And she's the only girl that gives me that sense of..."

"Je ne sais quoi?" LeFou guessed.

"I don't know what that means," Gaston replied as they rode off. "She seems to have a cute friend. Maybe you could try to woo her yourself? She has oddly colored hair."

"Uh... I'm not sure..." LeFou replied bashfully.

"Right from the moment when I met her, saw her, I said she's gorgeous and I fell~," Gaston soon sang as they rode into town as he went to pursue after Belle. "Here in town there's only she, Who is beautiful as me, So I'm making plans to woo and marry Belle~"

"Look there he goes, isn't he dreamy? Monsieur Gaston, Oh, he's so cute!~" The trio of girls sang. "Be still my heart, I'm already breathing, He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute~"

Mal, Honchkrow, and Belle continued to pass through as Gaston tried to break through the crowd to go pursue after the girl he had strong feelings for, even if the feeling wasn't mutual. As Gaston dismounted, the lasses got splattered with mud from his horse's hooves.

LeFou shoots them a look, whispering, "It's never gonna happen, ladies."

The trio of girls simply sighed after hearing that. Mal, Belle, and Honchkrow continued to go through the village, passing by the busy villagers while Gaston tried to get to Belle with his flowers so that he could impress her.

"Bonjour!" Mal greeted.

"Pardon!" Gaston called out.

"Good day~" Belle smiled.

"Mais, oui!" A woman replied.

"You call this bacon?"

"What lovely flowers."

"Some cheese."

"Ten yards."

"One pound."

"'Scuse me!" Gaston called while trying to get through the villagers.

"I'll get the knife." A chef said.

"Please let me through!" Gaston cried out.

"This bread."

"Those fish."

"It's stale."

"They smell."

"Madame's mistaken."

"Well, maybe so."

"There must be more than this provincial life~" Belle soon sang as she was in her own little world.

"Just watch as I'm going to make Belle my wife~" Gaston sang as he waited for a group of boys to pass him.

"Look there she goes, A girl who's strange but special, A most peculiar mademoiselle~," All of the villagers sang as Belle led her new friends away from the crowd. "It's a pity and a sin, She doesn't quite fit in, But she really is a funny girl, A beauty but a funny girl, She really is a funny girl... That Belle~..."

Honchkrow flinched before glaring as he sensed someone following him, Mal, and Belle and where soon enough, they were greeted by Gaston.


	2. Chapter 2

"Must be Gil's dad in this timeline." Mal muttered once she saw the man who tried to approach Belle based on the stories that Ben and his parents told her since she was going to be married into the family someday.

"Good morning, Belle!" Gaston grinned as he approached the girl with the flowers. "Wonderful book you have there."

"Have you read it?" Belle asked him.

"Doubt it." Mal snarked to Honchkrow.

Honchkrow chuckled in response to that.

"Well, not that one, but, you know... Books," Gaston shrugged before holding out the flowers at her, trying to be charming and endearing. "For your dinner table. Shall I join you this evening?"

"Sorry, not tonight." Belle replied apologetically.

"Busy?" Gaston asked her.

"No..." Belle said bashfully before walking off with Mal and Honchkrow.

Mal stuck her tongue out at Gaston on the way out.

"So, moving on?" LeFou asked as he came beside Gaston.

"No, LeFou. It's the ones who play hard to get that are always the sweetest prey," Gaston replied, still determined. "That's what makes Belle so appealing. She hasn't made a fool of herself just to gain my favor. What would you call that?" he then asked.

"Dignity?" LeFou smirked.

"It's outrageously attractive, isn't it?" Gaston replied eagerly.

"He doesn't know when to give up, does he?" Honchkrow asked his mistress.

"Based on what I've heard about Gil's father, no," Mal shook her head. "Not sure how I feel about that LeFou guy either."

"Meh," Honchkrow shrugged. "Compared to Gaston he seems harmless."

"Gaston~" A trio of village girls swooned after the man, but he was still just interested in Belle, though he decided to go see them anyway which made LeFou follow behind.

The girl with blonde hair and a green dress smirked as she watched Belle, Mal, and Honchkrow leave as though she was hiding a secret before she began to look nice and innocent to blend in with the village.

* * *

Belle, Mal, and Honchkrow began to make their way back to the house before they heard a music box playing. Honchkrow looked curious as he wondered why there was a music box playing in the house. Belle smiled as she knew what the music meant as she led her new friends back inside the house.

Maurice was shown to be with a music box as he began to sing to himself before seeing Belle, Mal, and Honchkrow. "How does a moment last forever?, How can a story never die?, It is love we must hold onto, Never easy, but we try~," he then sang as he began to tinker with the gears on the box as a painter was shown to be painting his wife's portrait as she held their baby with a red rose. "Sometimes our happiness is captured, Somehow a time and place stand still, Love lives on inside our hearts, And always will~--" he then stopped singing once he saw his daughter. "Oh, good, Belle, you're back. Can you please hand me the--"

Belle then gave him the screwdriver as Mal wiped her eyes at the song as she wondered if that was what it was like to have a loving father.

"And the--" Maurice was about to ask before he was given tweezers. "No, no, I don't need--" he then said before he was given a hammer just as a spring popped off. "Actually yes, that's exactly what I need."

Mal and Honchkrow smiled as they were happy to see a father and daughter working together.

"Papa, do you think I'm odd?" Belle soon asked as her father went to work.

"Odd? My daughter? Odd?" Maurice asked while he worked on the music box. "Where did you get an idea like that?"

"I don't know," Belle said softly. "People talk."

"This is a small village you know," Maurice reminded her. "Small- _minded_ as well, but small also means safe. Even back in Paris, I know a girl who was so... Ahead of her time."

Mal felt like she knew who Maurice was talking about as she looked at the portrait of a woman holding a newborn baby in her arms.

"So different. People mocked her. Until the day they all found themselves imitating her." Maurice continued softly as he thought about the woman he was talking about that he missed dearly, even to this day.

"Please just tell me one more thing about her." Belle begged to her father.

Mal and Honchkrow looked soft as they watched the father and daughter.

Maurice looked like he was trying to distract Belle from her request before she saw right through that and he gave in as he told Belle about her missing mother. "Your mother was... Fearless. Fearless." he soon said to her as he closed his music box.

"Some may say the same about my mother." Mal commented to herself.

Maurice soon put the music box in a box before going outside with it and put it in a wagon before going to the driver seat.

"Going somewhere, sir?" Mal asked.

"Yes, I'll just be out for a little bit," Maurice nodded. "Perhaps you should stay here to watch over Belle for me."

"I think we'd like that." Mal replied as she let Honchkrow perch on her right shoulder before she began to pet him.

"So... What can I bring you from the market?" Maurice asked his daughter.

"A rose," Belle replied. "Like the one in the painting."

"You ask for that every year." Maurice told his daughter.

"Must be a flower fan." Honchkrow commented.

"And every year, you bring it." Belle smiled at her father.

"Then I shall bring you another," Maurice smiled back as he got their horse ready. "You have my word. Come on, Philippe!"

"I'll see you tomorrow!" Belle soon called out as Maurice took off with Phillipe.

"Tomorrow!" Maurice called back. "With the rose!"

Belle chuckled slightly as she knew her father would be alright, but still felt worried for him.

"I'm sure he'll be okay." Mal said softly.

"Yes, but I can't help but worry about him sometimes." Belle replied.

They soon went back inside.

* * *

"Tell me, Mal, where did you come from?" Belle asked. "Surely you came from somewhere if you're not familiar with the neighborhood."

"Oh, uh, I come from very, very far away," Mal explained bashfully as she explored the home. "It's a very long story."

Honchkrow nodded in agreement.

"What about your family?" Belle asked.

"It's complicated," Mal smiled bashfully. "I'm actually missing someone right now that I'm supposed to, uh, bond forever with if you know what I mean."

"Oh, you mean you're going to get married?" Belle smiled.

"Uh, yeah," Mal replied. "We got engaged not too long ago."

"Your family must be proud of you to get married," Belle smiled. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, Belle." Mal smiled back softly as she deeply appreciated the blessing, such as the one she got from the other Belle that she knew.

Honchkrow smiled, happy for his mistress.

"Well, it appears that I have some chores to do," Belle said. "Care to help?"

"Uh, sure," Mal replied as she saw some laundry and knew how to do it without a washing machine as Akito, Estelle, and Vincent had talked about once before during their visit to Auradon and the Isle of the Lost. "This is how I used to do laundry back home."

Honchkrow soon decided to help out.

* * *

And so, Belle and Mal did some chores together with Honchkrow pitching in a bit. Belle soon tossed clothes and some soap chips into an empty barrel and rolled it into the fountain! It then bobbed on its side. Tying the other end of the strap to the mule's harness, Mal then set him walking around the circular laverie.

"Good work there, Mal." Belle smiled before they walked along together.

Honchkrow soon looked ready for the book.

"You really wanna read, huh?" Mal chuckled to her Pokemon.

Honchkrow nodded in excitement.

"All right," Mal chuckled. "Belle, we better finish up and quick before my little buddy gets apprehensive."

"All right, let's finish up then." Belle smiled.

A girl was shown with her own laundry before seeing Belle as she sat with Mal and Honchkrow as the mule did the laundry so that they could read the book. "What are you doing?" she then asked.

"The laundry," Belle replied before she decided to let the girl come and join them. "Come!"

The girl soon came over to them. 

"Hello, there." Mal smiled.

"Why do you have purple hair?" The girl asked her.

"I was just born that way." Mal shrugged.

"Now, now, don't be rude to Mal," Belle tutted as she brought out the book. "Let's have ourselves a little storytime."

Honchkrow nodded in agreement.

" _'The blue bird'_..." Belle prompted as she found a children's book with pictures to help the girl since the girl wouldn't know how to read in this time period.

"'That flies... Over the dark... Wood'." The girl read aloud, slowly.

"That was amazing!" Belle smiled which made the girl smile back.

However, the schoolmaster saw this and looked disgusted with what Belle was doing with her. "What on Earth are you doing?" she then asked, like that was a crime. "Teaching _another_ girl to read? Isn't _one_ enough?"

"Maybe there's more room enough in this town for more girls who can read." Mal told him.

"You should not talk back like that, little girl." The schoolmaster warned.

"No, you should not talk back to me like that." Mal narrowed her eyes as her eyes flashed green, almost like she was about to go into dragon mode.

Honchkrow shook his head to his mistress, not wanting her to let her dragon side out or to let her use magic. Mal growled like a dragon before Honchkrow got her to stop as she held her head before shaking it as she closed her eyes and when she opened her eyes again, they were back to their natural green.

"We have to do something." A woman said to the schoolmaster as even she felt disgusted with Belle.

"I have a feeling we'll need to keep the laundry from everyone else." Mal whispered to Honchkrow.

"Yeah?" Honchkrow replied.

Mal soon looked over as she saw some villagers gathering. "There!" she then cried out.

The villagers decided to mess with Belle's laundry when she wasn't paying attention, but luckily for her, Mal and Honchkrow were paying attention and where Mal and Honchkrow made sure nothing happened to the laundry. The villagers tried to shoo away Honchkrow.

"Get 'em." Mal told her Pokemon.

Honchkrow nodded and soon pecked at and squawked loudly at the villagers to scare them off. Luckily for them, it began to work as the villagers decided to leave them and the laundry alone, feeling annoyed and scared of Honchkrow. Honchkrow then hissed at them.

"Good boy." Mal smiled proudly before she petted her Pokemon proudly.

Pere Robert rushed over, but then smiled once he saw that Belle's laundry was fine.

"Now once the laundry is finished, we'll let the laundry dry." Mal said.

"Thank you so much." Belle smiled.

"You have some lovely new friends there, Belle." Pere Robert remarked.

"We're happy to help." Mal smiled as Honchkrow did a little bow.

"Are you alright?" The blonde girl in a green dress asked them.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, we're fine," Mal smiled. "I don't think I've seen you around this village before."

"You could say that I'm new in town." The blonde girl replied innocently.

"So are me and Honchkrow," Mal smiled. "I'm Mal."

"What's your name?" Honchkrow added.

"My name is Esabella." The girl replied.

"That's a pretty name." Mal smiled.

"I always thought so." Esabella smiled back.

Honchkrow seemed curious about Esabella.

* * *

Meanwhile, Gaston was shown to be focusing on someone other than Belle for once. "You are the wildest, most gorgeous thing I have ever seen. Nobody deserves you, but at least I know our children will be beautiful." he said, wooing... His reflection in the mirror that he was talking to.

"Am I catching you at a bad time?" LeFou asked as he came to see Gaston.

"What is it, LeFou?" Gaston rolled his eyes a bit from the interruption.

"A certain damsel is in distress," LeFou then informed. "Or at least she was going to be if her new friend and animal hadn't gotten in the way."

"I should still see her regardless," Gaston replied. "Maybe you could save that purple-haired girl if she needs you."

"Uh, yeah," LeFou nodded awkwardly. "I need a girl like you, Gaston."

"That's the spirit!" Gaston grinned as he went over to Belle's cottage which would be highly unfortunate for the girl.

* * *

"Ben, where are you?" Mal frowned at herself as she missed her fiancé.

"Don't worry," Esabella soothed. "You'll see him again soon~"

Mal appreciated the comfort even if Honchkrow felt suspicious of her.

"Belle! I heard you had trouble with the Headmaster," Gaston said as he came to see Belle who began to walk away from him, making him follow her, even going in the garden, trampling over the cabbages. "He never liked me either. Can I give you a little advice about the villagers though? They're never going to trust the kind of change you're trying to bring."

"All I wanted was to teach a child to read." Belle told him.

"The only children you should concern yourself with... Are your own." Gaston smirked eagerly.

"I'm... Not ready to have children," Belle said as she didn't like where this was going. "Come on, Mal and Honchkrow; let's get inside."

"I think that's a great idea." Mal agreed as she perched Honchkrow.

"Maybe you haven't met the right man." Gaston insisted.

"It's a small village, Gaston," Belle told him as she shut the gate on him to go inside the cottage with her new friends. "I've met them all."

"Besides, if there were any men that she hasn't met; Belle would have known." Mal said.

"You should speak when spoken to." Gaston told Mal.

"Nice comeback," Mal smirked. "You almost sound like my dad."

"Well, maybe you should take another look," Gaston continued to pry as he came in through the gate to continue after Belle. "Some of us have changed."

"Gaston, we could never make each other happy," Belle told him. "No one can change that much."

Honchkrow nodded in agreement.

"Oh, Belle. Do you know what happens to spinsters in this village after their fathers die?" Gaston soon asked.

"Coins?" A woman was seen begging in the streets. "Got any spare coins?"

"They beg for scraps, like poor Agathe," Gaston continued. "This is our world, Belle. For simple folk like us, it doesn't get any better."

"I might be a farm girl, but, I'm not simple and I'm never going to marry you, Gaston," Belle replied as she led Mal and Honchkrow inside the cottage and shut the door. "I'm sorry!"

Gaston stood outside the cottage, he decided not to give up, but he kept a gallant smile before he decided to leave Belle alone that time. And once he was gone, it was safe for Belle, Mal, and Honchkrow to come out.

"Can you imagine?" Belle scoffed as she came out the door. "Me? The wife of that boorish, brainless... Madame Gaston, can't you just see it?~" she then sang sarcastically. "Madame Gaston, his little wife~... Ugh!" she then groaned as she brought out food for the chickens who began to eat up. "No, sir, not me, I guarantee it, I want much more than this provincial life~" she then continued before she ran away from her home.

"Hey! Wait up!" Mal called out as she ran after Belle.

Honchkrow looked around for Esabella who seemed to disappear before he shrugged and flew after the girls. Belle, Mal, and Honchkrow soon arrived at the top of a hill.

"I want adventure in the great wide somewhere, I want it more than I can tell, And for once it might be grand, To have someone understand, I want so much more than they have planned~" Belle sang once they were on top of the hill.

Mal stood beside Belle with a small smile as Honchkrow flew on top of her head.

* * *

Meanwhile, a storm seemed to hit as Maurice was still traveling with Philippe.

"The woods are lovely. I only wish I recognized them," Maurice commented as he rode with the horse through the dark woods. "Do you know where we are, Philippe? Because I don't."

A tree was then struck and came apart which startled the horse as he reared up.

"It's all right. It's all right, Philippe," Maurice told the horse before seeing a new path on the right side. "Hmm... Yes, we can go this way. Go on to the right."

Philippe soon went to where Maurice wanted him to go as they passed by the burning tree.

"That's it. Steady! Walk on!" Maurice told the horse. "One path closes, another one opens. It's all right, boy."

Philippe soon saw something strange as he kept galloping along.

"It's just a bit of snow," Maurice comforted before he saw how weird it was. "In June."

It did indeed started to snow all of a sudden even though it was summertime.

"Mind your step, it's slippery." Maurice told the horse.

A wolf growl was soon heard.

Maurice then saw the wolf and panicked to make his horse speed up. "Go! Go, Philippe!" he then cried out. "Come on! Come on! Whoa. Come on!"

It soon seemed to get worse as the buggy broke a bit as Philippe seemed to get loose and they were now surrounded by wolves. Maurice groaned as he began to climb up from where he was. He felt safe once he made it up, but grew wide-eyed once he saw a wolf right across from him. Maurice then slipped down the hill before he was then faced by a trio of wolves down that way too. Philippe soon came by just in time and Maurice landed on his back which felt like a miracle.

"Go! Philippe, go!" Maurice called out as he rode on his horse as the wolves began to chase them. "Go, go!"

And where the chase went on for a while until Philippe and Maurice made past two gates leading to a castle. The wolves soon came to a stop as Philippe and Maurice made it past the gates and one wolf even let out a howl at that. Maurice and Philippe then came to the castle grounds as it continued to snow around the castle.

"Oh, Philippe, you saved my life," Maurice said proudly. "Well done. Yes. They'll have to get their dinner somewhere else, won't they?"

* * *

They soon came into the castle grounds as Maurice came off of the horse and led him over to what he saw for the horse to have as a reward.

"Look! There's hay. And water. You're all set, my old friend," Maurice smiled as he walked Philippe over to the hay and water. "I'll go pay my respects to our unwitting host. Whoever that may be."

Philippe soon stayed where he was as he began to eat the hay.

Maurice began to make his way up the stairs to the entrance of the castle. "Hmm... Thank you. Thank--... Hello? Hello?" he soon called out as he came inside, looking for someone. "Sorry to intrude. I'm just a traveler seeking shelter from the storm. Sorry to disturb you. Anyone home? Anyone awake?" he then asked as no one seemed to come.

"He must have lost his way in the woods." One voice commented.

"Shut up, you idiot!" The other voice scolded.

Maurice seemed to have heard them as he looked over to where the two voices were. "Excuse me?" he then asked as he saw a candelabra and a mantle clock before examining them closely as they looked very gorgeous. "Hmm... Beautiful. Extraordinary."

A pair of young, hazel eyes looked out to Maurice while hiding away in the darkness as he frowned at how he looked, especially from being separated from Mal when they were just about to celebrate their engagement.

"A man of taste." The candelabra smirked at the mantle clock.

"He was talking about me." The mantle clock retorted.

Maurice soon went over to where he heard music playing.

"Oops!" A voice said before the candlelight went out and the music suddenly stopped on the keyboarded instrument known as the harpsichord.

"Well, wherever you are, I'm just going to warm myself by the fire," Maurice soon called out as he soon went to the fireplace, rubbing his hands together with a bit of a cough before letting his hands feel the warmth of the fire, then turned around to give his backside a turn as he began to warm up, feeling relieved. "That's better. Oh, much better."

There was then some sort of clatter heard in the dining room, so Maurice decided to follow the sound.

* * *

In the dining room, there was a lot of food shown which made Maurice feel happy and thankful before he went to the table to have a seat to dig into the food. "Oh... Thank you!" he said once he sat down and began to help himself.

A teacup soon moved over to Maurice while still on a plate and which startled the man. Maurice looked wide-eyed as he glanced at the teacup.

"Mum and Carina said I wasn't supposed to move because it might be scary," The teacup spoke up to the man bashfully. "Sorry."

"It's all right." Maurice said calmly before he soon ran out of the room in fear.

"Well, that could have gone better." A young female voice whispered to the teacup.

"Sorry, Carina." The male teacup replied.

"You're lucky you didn't give him a heart attack." The female teacup told him.

"I, uh... I cannot... Thank you enough for your hospitality," Maurice said nervously as he decided to get going as he took his coat off of the rack and went to go out the doors. "I'll... Bid you adieu... And good night."

Two pairs of eyes looked out from the top of the staircase as Maurice dashed away. Maurice soon made his way down to Philippe.


	3. Chapter 3

It was still snowing outside as Maurice decided that it was time to go away from this strange place.

"Come on, Philippe!" Maurice called out as he rode away on his horse. "Go! Go!" he then stopped as he realized something. "No, wait, wait, wait! Roses. I nearly forgot."

Philippe soon began to stop and slow down once he was told to wait.

"We're safe here," Maurice told the horse before he got off to go and collect a rose for his daughter. "I promised Belle a rose." He soon made his way over to a white rose.

One beastly figure was shown in the shadows as Maurice came for the rose for his daughter. Philippe soon began to look scared as he sensed trouble. Maurice winced a bit from the thorns before he kept trying to get the white rose anyway before a low growling sound was heard and he was soon greeted by a beast. The old man was so scared that he fell into the snow as the beast approached him. Philippe soon panicked and snapped off his reigns as he galloped off to go and find help from the village somehow. Maurice looked wide-eyed as the beast's shadow loomed over him as this looked like the end.

* * *

The next day Philippe continued to run until he would be safe back at home. Belle tended to the garden as Mal read the book with Honchkrow before they all suddenly heard the neighing of a horse which made them flinch. Philippe soon came over right away and saw some water and decided to get himself a drink as he looked quite tired from his misadventure last night.

"Philippe, what are you doing here?" Mal asked. "And where's Maurice?"

Philippe whinnied a bit as he looked scared from what happened last night.

"Take us to him." Belle requested.

And so, Mal and Belle rode on Philippe's back as he brought them to the forest from last night.

* * *

And where it was still snowing outside which confused Mal and Honchkrow.

"Belle, isn't it summer?" Mal spoke up.

"Yes, that is quite peculiar." Belle agreed.

The broken buggy was shown before Belle and Mal got off of Philippe's back and Belle took out a sturdy branch as she walked up the steps with Mal beside her, coming over the snow-covered steps and soon opened the front doors to look for Maurice.

"Seems empty." Honchkrow whispered to Mal.

"Yeah, I know." Mal whispered back.

Belle soon walked in ahead of Mal and Honchkrow as she held the branch close for security reasons.

"Look, Cogsworth," The candelabra named Lumière spoke up. "Two beautiful girls!"

"Yes! I can see it's two girls with some bird," The mantle clock known as Cogsworth remarked. "I lost my hands, not my eyes."

"But what if one of them is the one?" Lumière smiled hopefully. "The one who'll break the spell?"

"I think you're right, Lumiere." A voice whispered.

Belle and Mal soon looked over as they thought they heard voices, though Mal knew where this was going as Belle and Adam told her about how they met during a time she had dinner with Ben and the family, but she kept quiet as it probably wasn't a good idea to spoil the story to this Belle.

"Who said that?" Belle asked as she walked towards the table, only seeing the mantle clock and candelabra. "Who's there?"

"Uh, maybe we're hearing things." Mal said innocently.

"Hmm... Maybe." Belle said.

There was then the sound of a sickly cough that echoed among the hallways of the castle. Belle grabbed the candelabra and soon rushed along with Mal and Honchkrow to follow the noise. Cogsworth looked nervous as Lumiere was taken away like that, but decided to stay right where he was.

"Now from the sounds of his coughing your father should be close by." Mal said.

"I hope you're right, Mal." Belle replied.

They followed the sounds as they seemed to get louder and louder the more they walked around.

"Papa?!" Belle cried out.

"1,001... 1,002... 1,0003..." Honchkrow counted dully. "Are we there yet?"

"Not yet." Mal sighed as they ran all around up the stairs.

"Sheesh! There sure are a lot of stairs here," Honchkrow said before going back to counting. "1,007... 1,008... 1,009 1,010..."

* * *

Luckily, they soon made it to the top as Belle set Lumiere down as she saw who she was looking for.

"Papa, is that you?" Belle asked as she came to the dungeon to see her father.

"Belle, how did you find me?" Maurice asked, though relieved to see her.

"Your hands are ice," Belle frowned as they joined hands. "We need to get you home."

Honchkrow began to look around for a way to open the dungeon gate to help them free Maurice.

"Girls. Girls, you must leave here at once," Maurice warned Belle and Mal. "This castle is alive. Now go before he finds you!"

"Who?" Belle asked which made her voice echo around the room.

There was soon a growling heard at the sound of the echo.

"What was that?" Honchkrow asked.

"I'm guessing the one that put Belle's father in that cell." Mal said.

Belle soon grabbed her branch and looked all around for the source of the growling. "Who's there? Who are you?!" she then asked as she saw a silhouette in the distance.

" **WHO ARE _YOU_?**" The growling voice retorted.

"Oh, very mature," Mal rolled her eyes without fear. "Look, we've come for her father."

"Her father... Is a **_THIEF_**." The voice growled.

"What? A thief? No way." Mal shook her head.

"Liar!" Belle glared at the shadow.

"He stole a rose." The voice explained why Maurice was in trouble.

" _I_ asked for the rose," Belle soon said. "Punish _me_ , not him."

"No, he means forever," Maurice warned his daughter. "Apparently, that's what happens around here when you pick a flower!"

"Seriously?" Mal asked. "Being in here forever for just picking a flower?"

"I received eternal damnation for one," The voice retorted. "I'm merely locking him away. Now, does your sister still wish to take your father's place?"

"I'm not her sister." Mal replied.

"Come into the light." Belle soon requested.

The Beast didn't move so Belle grabbed Lumière and held him up to the stranger's face. Seeing the Beast's intimidating appearance made Belle gasp in fear. "Choose." he then demanded sharply.

 _'Whoa, he sure is intimidating.'_ Honchkrow thought to herself.

"Belle, I won't let you do this," Maurice sadly said to his daughter while coughing sickly. "I lost your mother, I won't lose you too! Now go. Go!"

"Alright, Papa. We'll leave", Belle replied before she faced the Beast. "I need a minute alone with him."

The Beast turned away at that.

"You're being so cold-hearted you won't allow a daughter to say goodbye to her father?" Mal soon asked. "Forever can spare a minute."

Belle nodded at that. The Beast turns toward the girls, glaring at them. Then he pulled the switch opening the dungeon door. Belle, Mal, and Honchkrow soon went into the cell.

"When this door closes, it will not open again." The Beast warned.

Belle soon put Lumière down and ran up to her father and hugged him. "I should have been here with you." she said to him emotionally.

"Listen, Belle. It's alright," Maurice reassured. "Go. Live your life, and forget about me."

"Forget you?" Belle asked tearfully. "Everything I am is because of you."

"I love you, Belle," Maurice nodded. "Don't be afraid."

Mal wiped her eyes as she felt emotional about the bond between the father and the daughter as she barely grew up with her father, though that would seem to change once she would get back home to Ben and all of their friends. Honchkrow had a feeling he knew of what would happen next.

"I love you too, Papa," Belle told her father in the hug before whispering to him. "I'm not afraid and I will escape, I promise."

"What?" Maurice asked out of confusion only to be pushed out of the dungeon by his daughter and she took Mal's hand to pull her int he dungeon with her.

"Whoa!" Mal gasped at the suddenness of that.

"Called it." Honchrkow said to himself.

"You took his place." The Beast said to Belle in surprise.

"He's my father." Belle defended.

"Then he is a fool," The Beast replied. "And so are you!" he then added as he began to drag Maurice out of the castle.

"I'll keep an eye on them." A familiar voice told the Beast.

"You do that," The Beast replied. "I'll dispose of this man." he then continued to drag Maurice out of the castle.

"Papa!" Belle cried out before calling out to the Beast. "Be gentle with him!"

"Belle, I'll come back!" Maurice called back. "I promise!"

"Knowing from the story Belle has told you, that might not happen." Honchkrow whispered to Mal.

"This seems a bit different from the one she's told me about." Mal replied.

Belle began to look and feel a bit scared as it was very unlikely she would ever see her father again.

"It'll be okay, I promise." The voice said as he stayed hidden in the shadows like the Beast before him had done.

"Ben? Is that you?" Mal asked, recognizing the voice a little.

The figure soon came into the light a bit to show a much younger beast. Belle gasped at the sight of him.

"Ben, it is you," Mal said with a small smile. "I know those hazel eyes anywhere," she then frowned a bit. "Oh, you're a beast again."

"Guess it was destined to happen from this crazy, sudden misadventure away from Auradon." Ben frowned back.

"Hmm... Something tells me that whatever brought us here is the cause of this." Honchkrow said as he referred to Ben being a beast.

"Yeah, I guess," Ben replied. "I'm half-beast and all, but it's a little weird of how it works."

"Mal, do you know that beast?" Belle soon asked.

"It's kind of a long story, Belle," Mal replied bashfully. "But... Yes, I do."

Honchkrow began to sing "The Wedding March" as a bird's song. Mal closed his beak shut bashfully.

"...Mal, this beast... He's your fiancé?" Belle asked.

"Well, like I said, it was a long story." Mal replied bashfully.

"Well, we've got plenty of time." Belle said as she got as comfortable as she could.

"Mal and I come from very far away from here, a kingdom called Auradon," Ben began to explain. "Once upon a time... A long time ago... Well, 20 years ago actually, my mother married my father in front of 6,000 of their closest, personal friends after the adventurous feats of a boy called Sora with two friends called Donald and Goofy and they helped the king at that time, Mickey, and a whole lot more."

"You can probably imagine a big cake." Mal added.

"Based on what I've heard, yeah," Ben nodded with a chuckle. "So instead of a honeymoon, my father united all of the kingdoms and got himself elected king of the United States of Auradon. He rounded up all the villains and sidekicks, basically all the really interesting people and he booted them off to the Isle of the Lost with a magical barrier to keep them there."

"Interesting..." Belle commented in surprise.

"Mal was from the Isle and I grew up in the kingdom of Auradon," Ben then continued. "One night, I had a dream and I saw the image of a beautiful purple-haired girl. When I woke up, I told my sister and she told me who she was and about some friends of hers, so I decided to make my first royal proclamation after waking up the next day when a very good friend of my mother's came to visit with her family."

Honchkrow nodded to confirm.

"That's quite a story," Belle said to them. "A beauty like you to find a beast like him."

"Oh, trust me, it's a tale as old as time." Mal winked playfully with a small smirk.

* * *

_**Meanwhile, back at the village...** _

"Oh, my, it appears my new friends are gone," Esabella sighed. "How very sad..." she then hid a small smirk. "Just how Mother would want it, especially with the son of that meddling peasant girl who ruined her plans during the enchantment. Now if only those meddling adventurers could suffer too when they helped that peasant girl 20 years ago."

"You're doing very well, my little enchantress." Circe told her daughter as she appeared.

"Thank you, Mother." Esabella smiled warmly.

"Now how about you go and have some fun?" Circe said. "At least until Maurice shows up acting a little crazy."

"Yes, Mother..." Esabella nodded.

"This'll especially show your aunts, Lucinda, Ruby, and Martha," Circe then said. "Those three always think they're so much better than I am."

"You deserve better, Mother," Esabella said as she hugged Circe before going off. "I'll see what I can do in this village."

"I know you'll do great." Circe said.

"It'll help remind the heroes and villains of whose side should be on whose," Esabella then said. "Especially after Maleficent and Hades's daughter decided to let Auradon and the Isle live together after Cruella's son, Jafar's son, and Queen Grimhilde's daughter agreed with her."

"I've taught you well," Circe smirked. "I should also meet the one in this village known as Agathe."

"Okay, but she seems different from you; I don't sense any evil magic from her." Esabella said.

"I shall go see for myself," Circe replied. "Excellent observation though, my dear."

Esabella beamed as she made her mother proud as she went to explore the village up close while her mother went off before she heard some fun going on inside an inn. "Hm... What's going on here?" she asked herself as she went to investigate the sounds. She soon saw that most of the village was having a party.

* * *

Esabella soon peeked her head inside where the party was as it seemed to be the local inn.

"Picture it, LeFou," Gaston grinned at his closest friend. "A rustic cabin, my latest kill roasting on the fire, adorable children running around us as my love rubs my tired feet."

Esbella looked disgusted as she could envision that, even if she was evil even she had standards.

"But what does Belle say?" Gaston then continued. "'I will never marry you, Gaston'."

"You know, there are other girls." LeFou advised.

The villager girls soon perked up hopefully as they were in love with Gaston, unlike Belle who wasn't interested.

"A great hunter doesn't waste his time on rabbits." Gaston declined.

 _'He sure has a picky taste.'_ Esbella thought to herself.

"Aww!" The girls pouted from Gaston's determination to go after Belle.

"Gosh it disturbs me to see you, Gaston, Looking so down in the dumps, Every guy here'd love to be you Gaston, Even when taking your lumps~," LeFou soon began to sing to help cheer his best friend/boss up. "There's no man in town as admired as you, You're everyone's fa-vor-ite guy, Everyone's awed and inspired by you, And it's not very hard to see why~"

A fiddle player was soon shown as LeFou then paid the musician a very large tip and gave a nod to play some music.

"No one's slick as Gaston, No one's quick as Gaston, No one's neck's as incredibly thick as Gaston, For there's no man in town half as manly, Perfect, a pure paragon!~," LeFou then continued as passed by three men who watched Gaston. "You can ask any Tom, Dick, or Stanley, And they'll tell you whose team they prefer to be on!~"

"Who plays darts like Gaston?~" The three men sang. "Who breaks hearts like Gaston?~"

"Who's much more than the sum of his parts like Gaston?~" LeFou then added.

"As a specimen, yes, I'm intimidating~" Gaston sang back as his confidence began to grow.

"Great, now he's gonna be boorish again." Esabella rolled her eyes about Gaston.

"My, what a guy, Gaston~" Everyone else sang.

"He's something alright." Esabella rolled her eyes.

"I needed encouragement, Thank you, LeFou~" Gaston approved.

"Well, there's no one, As easy to bolster as you~" LeFou gushed as he hugged Gaston, though it seemed to be a bit much. "Too much?" he then asked.

"Yep!" Gaston nodded.

"I'd say so." Esabella muttered.

"No one fights like Gaston, Douses lights like Gaston, In a wrestling match, Nobody bites like Gaston~" LeFou sang before he lifted up his shirt to show bite marks.

"Ew! I didn't need to see _that_!" Esabella complained.

"When I hunt, I sneak up with my quiver, And beasts of the field say a prayer~" Gaston then sang as he hopped up onto the bar table and mimed shooting LeFou like he was on the hunt.

 _'Oh, nice.'_ Esabella thought to herself.

"Is that fair?" LeFou asked.

"I don't care!" Gaston replied as he fired his rifle in the ceiling which made plaster come straight down.

"No one hits like Gaston~," The villagers continued to sing. "Matches wits like Gaston~"

"In a spitting match, nobody spits like Gaston!~" LeFou sang.

"I'M ESPECIALLY GOOD AT EXPECTORATING!~" Gaston beamed before he began to spit which made the villagers cheer for him.

"Gross!" Esabella complained. "Maybe I should've gone with Mom instead. Like being here is any better than seeing some village lady from this world." Unfortunately for her, the song wasn't over just yet.

"When I was a lad, I ate four dozen eggs every morning to help me get large~," Gaston then began to sing. "And now that I'm grown I eat five dozen eggs, So I'm roughly the size of a barge~"

"Well, that explains this." Esabella commented to herself as she held a photograph of Gaston's son: Gil.

The crowd began to cheer for Gaston as he lifted up a woman and LeFou.

"Who has brains like Gaston?, Entertains like Gaston?~" The villagers sang with LeFou.

"Who can make up these endless refrains like Gaston?~" Gaston added as he tromped on the table while coming to the wall of animal heads and antlers. "I use antlers in all of my decorating!" he then proclaimed proudly.

"Say it again; who's a man among men?~" Everybody continued to sing while Esabella just stood in the background. "And let's say it once more, Who's that hero next door?, Who's a super success?, Don't you know? Can't you guess?, Ask his fans and his five hangers-on, There's just one guy in town, Who's got all of it down~"

"And his name's 'G-A-S-T'--... Uh, I believe there's another 'T' in there," LeFou tried to spell Gaston's name, but failed miserably. "It just occurred to me that I'm illiterate and I've never actually had to spell it out loud before... Gaston!" he then called out the name instead.

Esabella rolled her eyes at what LeFou did before the villagers cheered and celebrated Gaston as he began to cheer up and look happier from his rejection that Belle forced upon him. "Oh, wow, he sure knows how to cheer up a guy." she then said.

"Oh, LeFou, you're the best," Gaston smiled at his best friend/sidekick. "How is it no girl has snatched you up yet?"

"I've been told I'm clingy, but I really don't get it." LeFou replied bashfully.

"Okay, I'm outta here." Esabella said as she decided to leave the tavern and just as she was about to leave the tavern, her entertainment soon arrived.

"Please, please!" Maurice cried out as he rushed in through the doors. "Someone, someone. You, help--"

"Whoa! Slow down, Maurice!" The barkeep told the old man.

"You must help me. It's Belle!" Maurice begged. "He's got, he's got Belle. She's locked in a dungeon. She's with a new friend too!"

"Who's got them?" The barkeep asked.

"Two beasts!" Maurice cried out. "Two huge, horrid, monstrous beasts!"

The patrons stared at Maurice for a few moments before they broke out into laughter.

"This just got interesting." Esabella smirked.

"My daughter's and an innocent girl's lives are in danger, why do you laugh?!" Maurice cried out to the villagers. "Their castle is hidden in the woods. It's already winter there!"

"Winter in June?" Jean asked.

"Crazy old Maurice." One man commented.

"The beasts are real!" Maurice cried. "Do you understand?! Will no one help me?!"

"I'll help you, Maurice!" Gaston offered.

 _'Of course he will; after all, Maurice is his would-be his father-in-law.'_ Esabella thought to herself.

"You will?" LeFou asked Gaston in surprise.

The villagers murmured in surprise.

Gaston winked at LeFou before calling out. "Everyone! Stop making fun of this man at once!"

"Thank you, Captain," Maurice smiled as he approached Gaston gratefully. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me, Maurice," Gaston replied. "Lead us to the beasts.

 _'I wonder how Mother is doing?'_ Esabella thought to herself.

* * *

"It was a pleasure doing business with you." Circe said as she finished talking with Agathe before going to look for her daughter, looking all around as she put her cloak over her head to conceal her gorgeous face with her golden blonde hair.

Esabella looked through the window and came out as she saw her mother. Circe nodded to her daughter. Esabella soon came out.

"So, did you have fun?" Circe asked.

"Mostly, yeah," Esabella replied. "Guess you were right about waiting at the tavern, even though it just smelled like drunk, miserable peasants."

"And you were right about Agathe; although I was able to do some business with her." Circe told her.

"You were?" Esabella asked.

"Yes, I'll explain to you later," Circe replied as they walked together. "There are some other things to do."

Esabella looked curious and thoughtful as she followed her mother into the village.


	4. Chapter 4

Meanwhile, in the dungeon of the castle, Belle and Mal seemed to be sleeping against each other while Honchkrow was in the corner, also asleep. They soon heard the cell door opening as they heard Ben coming along with two others. Belle stood up nervously, though Mal stretched a bit as she woke up.

"Forgive my intrusion, Mademoiselles, but I have come to escort you to your room." A voice greeted as Belle looked ready to defend herself in case it was the Beast.

"Don't worry; it's just me and Lumiere and Cogsworth, who is making his way." Ben said as Belle and Mal got out of the cell after getting Honchkrow.

"Ben." Mal smiled in relief.

"My room?" Belle asked, feeling confused. "But I thought--"

"Oh, what? Zat 'Once this door closes it will not open again'?" Lumiere smirked once he was shown, much to Belle's surprise. "I know. He gets so dramatic. Hello."

Belle gasped and screamed which made Lumiere fall on the floor before she hit him with a stool, but he didn't seem to be hurt.

"Oh, you are very strong," Lumiere remarked. "Zis is a great quality."

"But you can talk." Belle said.

"Well, of course, he can talk," Cogsworth scoffed as he climbed up the steps after Lumiere and Ben. "It's all he ever does. Now, Lumiere, as head of the household, I demand that you put them back in their cell at once."

Belle began to look like she was about to have a nervous breakdown.

"What do you want to be for the rest of your life, Cogsworth?" Lumiere whispered at his friend. "A man or a mantle clock?" he then faced the girls. "Ready, Misses? Trust me."

"I would've brought you out sooner, but I didn't wanna get in too much trouble." Ben said to Mal as he took her hand.

The girls and Honchkrow followed Ben, Lumiere, and Cogsworth to their new room.

"You must forgive first impressions," Lumiere said as Belle carried him to light the way to a more suitable room than the cold, dark dungeon. "I 'ope you are not too startled."

"Why would I be startled?" Belle scoffed a bit. "I'm talking to a candle."

"Candelabra, please," Lumiere corrected her. "Enormous difference, but consider me at both of your services. The castle is your 'ome now... So feel free to go anywhere you both like."

"Except the West Wing." Cogsworth spoke up.

Ben nodded in agreement until he grew wide-eyed as he remembered the story his parents told him, though it happened a lot differently from this story. Lumiere even panicked and waved his hands to quiet down the mantle clock.

"Which we do not have." Cogsworth then smiled nervously.

"Uh-huh. Sure." Mal said.

"Why?" Belle asked as she refused to ignore that statement. "What's in the West Wing?"

"Oh, nothing." Cogsworth replied.

"Nozing." Lumiere echoed.

"Storage space."

"Storage space."

"That's it."

"Zat's it."

"Yes, that's it."

Mal and Honchkrow soon glanced over at Ben who was just shaking his head.

"Must be important." Honchkrow whispered to Mal.

"Believe me, I know most things from what Belle told me when she first met King Beast." Mal whispered back.

"This way, please," Cogsworth directed. "To the East Wing."

"Or as I like to call it, ze only wing!" Lumiere added with a chuckle. "Watch your step, s'il vous plat!"

* * *

After a while, they made it over to the East Wing. Belle opened the door as she came inside the East Wing with Mal and Honchkrow to check it out.

Lumiere then jumped out of Belle's hand and landed on top of Cogsworth's head before they to the next pair of doors and he got the door for the girls. "Welcome to your new 'ome!" he then smiled at them as he led them into a more suitable room for two. "It's modest, but comfortable."

"Well, at least it's a bit more spacious than mine and Evie's dorm room." Mal remarked.

Honchkrow nodded in agreement as the room was rather big.

"It's beautiful." Belle approved.

"But of course!" Lumiere replied as he hopped onto the bed. "Master wanted you to have ze finest room in ze castle," he then coughed once he landed on the bed before coughing from the dust. "Oh, dear. We were not expecting guests." he then said apologetically.

Belle and Mal coughed slightly from the dust. 

"Enchantée, Mademoiselles~" A feather duster which resembled a white dove spoke as she flew by.

Honchkrow looked like he was in love with her and went to fly after her.

"Honchkrow, stop!" Mal called out to her Pokemon.

"Don't worry," The feather duster smiled as she began to dust all-around before coming on the bed to see the candelabra. "I'll have zis place spotless in no time. Zis plan of yours is dangerous." she then said to the candelabra.

"I would risk anything to kiss you again, Plumette." Lumiere swooned as he held the feather duster.

"No, my love; I have been burned by you before," Plumette told him. "We must be strong." 

Honchkrow narrowed his eyes at Lumiere as he seemed to look jealous.

"How can I be strong when you make me so weak?" Lumiere cooed to Plumette.

Cogsworth and Ben soon coughed awkwardly to make them stop wooing each other in public. There was some snoring heard as Belle looked over to where she thought it was coming from.

"Is everything here alive?" Mal asked Ben.

"Well... Uh... Some things..." Ben replied as it was complicated to explain.

"Hello. What's your name?" Belle greeted as she picked up a hairbrush, but it didn't seem to be alive.

Plumette giggled while Lumiere face-palmed.

"That is a hairbrush." Cogsworth told Belle.

Honchkrow was soon seen on top of a wardrobe which seemed to be the one that was snoring.

"Um... Hi?" Mal blinked as she glanced at the wardrobe.

The wardrobe suddenly shot awake, startling Honchkrow off of her as her shutters came open as she let out a loud singing sound like an opera singer as Belle and Mal gasped and grabbed their hearts as that startled them.

"Do not be alarmed," Lumiere told the girls. "Zis is just your wardrobe. Meet Madame De Garderobe: A great singer."

"When she can stay awake." Cogsworth deadpanned.

"Cogsworth! A diva needs her beauty rest." Madame De Garderobe said before yawning.

"I'm sure Audrey feels the same way sometimes." Mal hid a sly smirk.

"Stay with us, Madame," Lumiere told Madame De Garderobe. "We have someone for you to dress!"

"Finally... Two women!" Madame De Garderobe beamed as she grabbed Belle and Mal hopefully.

'This should be fun to watch.' Honchkrow thought to himself.

"Pretty eyes... Perfect faces... Proud canvas!" Madame De Garderobe beamed. "Yes! I will find you both something worthy of a princess.

"Oh, we're not princesses." Belle replied bashfully.

"Nonsense!" Madame De Garderobe insisted. "Now, let's see what I've got in my drawers."

The drawers soon opened up as a bunch of moths flew out.

"Oh! How embarrassing," Madame De Garderobe said bashfully before calling out. "Frou-Frou, come, help Mama~"

A barking footstool soon ran in the room as Madame De Garderobe began to dress Belle and Mal up like 18th-century princesses, even with large dresses with powdered wigs and heavy make-up. Honchkrow snickered a bit at how they looked, especially Mal who looked very annoyed.

"One word and Plumette's going to get a feather dusting friend." Mal told her Pokemon who stopped snickering.

"Subtle. Understated. I love it!" Lumiere said nervously as he backed up with Cogsworth and Plumette out the door.

"Ben, don't leave me here!" Mal complained.

"I should let you get settled in." Ben smiled nervously as he joined the others, including the footstool.

"Frou-Frou, send my love to the maestro~" Madame De Garderobe called out to the footstool.

Frou-Frou barked as he ran out of the room just as the doors closed.

"Au revoir!" Lumiere called out.

The wardrobe soon fell back asleep in an instant, so Belle and Mal looked at each other as they slipped out of their forced princess outfits before Belle came to the closest window and opened it up to see a very long way down from the tower they were in.

"Well, we better not jump out." Mal suggested.

"Hmm..." Belle said as she looked at their princess outfits as she got an idea.

"Belle...?" Mal asked warily.

"Follow my lead." Belle replied as she hatched an idea to get them out of the castle and back to the village.

* * *

**_Later on, in the meantime..._ **

"Mama! Carina! There are two girls in the castle!" The young teacup, who was known as Chip, called out, coming to his teapot mother and teacup older sister.

"Yes, Chip, we know!" The teapot known as Mrs. Potts and the second teacup known as Carina smiled.

"What kind of tea do they like?" Chip soon asked as he slid all around with a plate. "Herbal, oolong, chamomile...? I'm too excited!"

"Slow down before you break your handle." Carina told her brother.

"Your sister is quite right." Mrs. Pots replied.

"Head's up, Mrs. Potts!" Lumiere called.

"Oh!" Mrs. Potts smiled as warm tea was poured into her as she stood with Chip and Carina.

"Hopefully he won't be too angry." Ben said, referring to the Beast.

The Beast soon stormed in. Ben barely flinched as he was used to his father behaving this way on some bad days, though this beast was a bit more intimidating and scary than his father's beast form.

The Beast soon sat down and looked across from the table to see that the table was being set for someone else at dinner tonight, so he shoved everything off of the table with a heavy snarl. " **LUMIERE!** " he then roared out.

"Oh!" Cogsworth gulped from the kitchen.

"Be calm," Lumiere told the mantle clock. "Let me do ze talking."

"You're making her dinner?!" The Beast glared.

"Well, we zought you and Benjamin might appreciate ze company." Lumiere smiled nervously.

"Master, I just want to assure you that I had no part in this hopeless plan," Cogsworth replied. "Preparing a dinner, designing a gown for her, giving her and her friend and that strange bird a suite in the East Wing!"

"You gave them a bedroom?" The Beast kept his glare.

"No, no, no," Cogsworth retorted as he gestured at Lumiere. "He gave them a bedroom."

"Zis is true, but if one of zese girls are ze one who can break ze spell, zen maybe you could start by using dinner to charm one of zem," Lumiere added before bonking against the mantle clock. "Good zinking, Cogsworth."

"What?" Cogsworth grew wide-eyed.

"That's the most ridiculous idea I've ever heard!" The Beast scoffed. "Charm the prisoners!"

"Would you rather like to stay a beast for the rest of your life?" Ben asked.

The Beast glared at him.

"Just a head's up." Ben replied.

"But you must try, Master," Lumiere advised. "Wiz every passing day, we become less human."

"One of them is the daughter of a common thief," The Beast glared. "What kind of person do you think that makes her?"

"Oh, you can't judge people by who their father is, now can you?" Mrs. Potts advised.

The Beast looked thoughtful about that as Ben just thought about the times when Auradon and the Isle were separated from each other before he invited Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos to come to school with him and the other Disney Hero kids. The Beast was soon seen pounding on the door to the girls' room. Ben stood by to see where this would go, though he had a bit of a good idea.

"You'll join me for dinner," The Beast soon demanded. "That's not a request."

"Gently, Master," Mrs. Potts advised. "The girls lost their father and freedom in one day."

"Yes, ze poor zings must be scared to death." Lumiere said.

"Exactly." Mrs. Potts said.

* * *

The two of them were wrong as Belle had put her and Mal's princess outfits to good use.

"I think this happened in Princess Merida's kingdom too, but with kilts." Mal commented as they got ready to climb down, using the gowns as a rope to climb down the tower with.

"Just follow me down and hopefully we'll see Papa soon." Belle nodded.

Mal soon let out a bird call and had Honchkrow come flying at them and he perched on her head. The Beast soon knocked again, but gently this time as they were almost out the window.

"Just a minute." Belle and Mal said.

"Should we stay?" Mal asked.

"Hold on." Belle told her.

"You see? Zere zhey are!" Lumiere beamed. "Now, remember, be gentle."

"Kind!" Mrs. Potts added.

"Mmm... Charming!~" Plumette added.

"Sweet!" Cogsworth added.

"And when zey open ze door, give zem a dashing, debonair smile." Lumiere advised.

"Oh, that sounds familiar, now for the smile." Ben remarked.

The Beast then tried his best to smile, though it came as more menacing and awkward.

"Uh..." Ben said, not knowing what else to say.

"Oh, mon dieu!" Cogsworth gasped.

"Oh, no." Plumette added.

"...Will you join me for dinner?" The Beast soon tried to ask gently.

Mal came away from the window with Belle, but they didn't open the door.

"You've taken us as your prisoners and now you want to have dinner with us?" Belle asked, aghast. "Are you insane?"

The Beast began to grunt angrily from that.

"Uh-oh..." Plumette said out of worry.

"He's losing it." Lumiere added as he protected Plumette.

"Oh, dear!" Cogsworth frowned as he hid behind Ben.

" **I TOLD YOU TO JOIN ME FOR DINNER!** " The Beast roared from behind the door.

"And I told you no!" Belle retorted.

"Ooh, what time is it? What's going on?" Madame De Garderobe asked as she woke up with a startle.

Mal flinched a bit before sighing at her.

"I'd starve before I ever ate with you!" Belle called out to the beast bravely and angrily.

" **WELL, BE MY GUEST!** Go ahead and starve!" The Beast retorted before looking at Ben and his servants before storming off. "If she doesn't eat with me then she doesn't eat at all! Idiots!"

"He can't talk to us that way, I forbid it," Cogsworth said as he came out of hiding. "Uh... Oh. Am I too late? Shame, I was really going to tell him off this time."

Ben soon found this a good time to have a good laugh with Lumiere. "Oh, Master Beast, you've returned." he soon said innocently.

"Huh?!" Cogsworth yelped as he turned around in alarm before glaring as he saw Lumiere and Ben laughing together. "Oh, very funny."

"He got you zere." Lumiere teased.

* * *

Meanwhile, with the Beast, he stormed off to the West Wing which was where his bedroom was as he stormed over past the enchanted rose that was inside of a bell jar before he grabbed his enchanted mirror which would show him anything he wanted. "Show me the girl." he then demanded.

The mirror soon flashed to show him Belle as she sat on the floor, hugging her knees beside Mal and Honchkrow. Mal and Honchkrow did their best to comfort Belle. The image soon faded as the Beast's reflection returned. A petal soon fell from the rose as the Beast began to look sad about being harsh with Belle as that would get him nowhere.

* * *

Also, with the petal falling, there was also a rumbling in the castle as parts started to crumble off. At the fireplace, some pieces fell into it.

"Anozer petal fell..." Lumiere sighed as he knew why that happened.

"Lumiere, I grew three more feathers," Plumette sighed sadly. "And I just plucked yesterday."

"I know, darling," Lumiere told her. "I'm getting more metallic every day."

"Oh, no. It's happening again." Cogsworth groaned as suddenly his clock hands moved over the numbers and he began to toll and ring which made him feel uncomfortable.

"I'm not sure how I became a full beast, but I'm not meant to be like this," Ben told the others as he looked at his furry paws that had claws on them. "I'm actually a human boy... I just don't understand why this had to happen to me."

"Everyone calm yourselves, we still have time." Mrs. Potts told them.

"Mama... Am I ever going to be a boy again?" Chip asked with a pout.

"And will I be a girl again?" Carina added.

"Oh, yes, children," Mrs. Potts soothed her teacup children. "You'll have your days in the sun again. You just leave it to me."

* * *

**_Meanwhile with Belle, Mal, and Honchkrow..._ **

The two girls then tightened their gown rope so that they could escape that night.

"Okay, let's go now without any further delay." Mal suggested.

Suddenly, there was a knocking on the door.'

"Dalmatians!" Mal then groaned, borrowing Carlos's "curse word".

"We told you to go away." Belle said from the window.

"Don't worry, dears~," A familiar voice replied. "It's Mrs. Potts."

"Come in." Mal said as she and Belle hid their gown rope.

The doors soon opened to let in a tea tray with a teapot and two teacups.

"Oh! Oh, are you two visions?" Mrs. Potts cooed at how beautiful Belle and Mal looked as she rolled in the room at will. "How lovely to make your acquaintance!"

"Nice to meet you too." Mal replied softly.

"It's a very long journey," Mrs. Potts then said as she secretly saw their gown ripe. "Let me fix you up before you go. I have found that most troubles seem less troubling after a bracing cup of tea," she then said, pouring into the two teacups who then slid down in front of Belle and Mal to take a drink. "Slowly now, children." she then told her son and daughter.

"Yes, Mama." Carina said.

Belle and Mal soon bent down to take the teacups to drink out of. Chip and Carina giggled as that tickled them.

"Pleased to meet you," Chip smiled which made Belle smile back. "Wanna see me do a trick?" he then asked before blowing a bubble out the top of him before it popped.

"Boys." Carina rolled her eyes.

"Chip can be quite a handful at times." Carina said.

"I'll take your word for it." Mal nodded.

"That was a very brave thing you did for your father, dearies." Mrs. Potts smiled at Belle and Mal.

"Yes," Madame De Garderobe added. "We all think so."

"Thanks, even though he's not my father," Mal replied. "I'm just a friend of Belle's."

Honchkrow nodded in agreement.

"Well, it's still brave of you to help your friend." Mrs. Potts replied.

"I'm worried about him," Belle frowned softly. "He's never been on his own."

"Cheer up, my poppet," Mrs. Potts coaxed maternally. "Things will turn out in the end. You'll feel a lot better after dinner."

"I guess some food would be nice." Mal said.

"But he said, 'If she doesn't eat with me, then she doesn't eat at all'." Belle quoted.

"Mm... People say a lot of things in anger," Mrs. Potts advised as she was about to leave the room. "It is our choice whether or not to listen. You coming, poppets?" she then asked.

"Go!" Madame De Garderobe urged the girls.

"Well, I dunno about you, but I am huuungry," Mal told Belle as she decided to follow after the tea tray. "I hope there's strawberries."

"Oh, I'm sure we have some." Mrs. Potts smiled.

* * *

**_Meanwhile, in the kitchen..._ **

"Zey are coming. Final checks, everyone!" Lumiere soon called out as he came into the kitchen with Cogsworth. "Tout de suite!"

"No, you don't!" Cogsworth complained. "If the master finds out you violated his orders and fed her he will blame me!"

"Oh, relax, this is a good thing for you guys." Ben told the mantle clock.

"And besides, did you see one of zem stand up to him?" Lumiere asked, referring to Belle standing up to the Beast. "I am telling you, zat girl is the one. Zey must fall in love if we are to be 'uman again and how can they fall in love if she and her friends stay in zeir room?"

"Hey, Chapeau, you missed a spot." One servant told the living rack.

"You know she'll never love him." Cogsworth advised.

"A broken clock is right two times a day, mon ami, but zis is not one of zose times," Lumiere replied before he hopped off of the table and came to the stove to the kitchen servants. "Stand up straight! It's time to sparkle!" he then tasted something from a pot. "Mmm! I have no taste buds, but I can tell zis is exquisite."

"Off! Off me while I work!" The pot complained.

"Pepper get cracking! Salt, shake a leg!" Lumiere told two spices before coming back to Cogsworth and Ben.

"Not so loud!" Cogsworth warned. "Keep it down!"

"Of course! Of course! But what is dinner without a little music?" Lumiere replied.

"Music?!" Cogsworth panicked.

"Yeah, we need some music." Ben smirked.

"You are enjoying my torture, aren't you?" Cogsworth asked.

"Oh, come now, don't be like that, Cogsworth," Ben replied as he poked the mantle clock in the back. "Unwind a little!"

Cogsworth yelped as his clock hands spun out of control at that.

"Very nice." Lumiere said with a little laugh.

Ben chuckled a bit as Cogsworth grumbled.

"Maestro Cadenza, are you ready?" Lumiere soon asked the harpsichord who came inside the room.

"It has been so long since I have performed," Cadenze replied. "I can barely even remember how," he then began to play a series of chords for a bit before suddenly stopping with a groan. "Another cavity."

"Please play through the pain." Ben begged.

"The boy is right!" Lumiere agreed. "Maestro, your wife is upstairs, finding it harder and harder to stay awake. She's counting on you to help us break zis curse."

"Then I shall play through the dental pain." Cadenza decided.

"Thank you." Ben smiled.

"Maestro, play quietly, please." Cogsworth begged.

"Oh, quietly. Sotto voce! Of course!" Cadenza replied. "Are there any other tasteless demands you wish to make upon my artistry?"

"No, that's it." Cogsworth replied.

"Is he always like this?" Ben whispered to Lumiere.

"On some good days or bad." Lumiere replied.

"Which is a bad day?" Ben asked.

"'Onestly? 'Ard to tell zese days." Lumiere smirked.

"I can tell." Ben said.

"There you are, dears." Mrs. Potts smiled as Belle and Mal came into the dining room.

Honchkrow sat on Mal's shoulder as they came inside to get something to eat.

"Remember that song I sang during your first time in Auradon?" Ben asked Mal. "For Family Day?"

"Oh, yeah, I remember." Mal smirked as she then thought about it.

"Get ready for it." Ben smirked back.

"This should be good." Honchkrow smirked.

* * *

Lumiere clapped his metallic hands which made the lights dim as Belle and Mal walked into the dining room and Plumette shined the moonlight onto a silver plate to be like a spotlight down onto her candelabra boyfriend. "Ma chère Mademoiselles, it is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight," he then began to tell them as plates and silverware jumped out onto the table as two chairs pulled them closer to the table. "And now, we invite you to relax. Let us pull up a chair, as the dining room proudly presents... Your dinner."

Ben smiled hopefully as he decided to sit next to Mal as she looked very impressed so far, as did Belle and Honchkrow. Cadenza grunted as he suddenly stopped due to his toothache as his keyboard was his teeth, but he had to keep it up. 

_'Here comes the song.'_ Honchkrow thought to himself.

"Be our guest, Be our guest!, Put our service to the test, Tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie, And we'll provide the rest~," Lumiere soon sang as the kitchenware came to life for Belle, Mal, and Honchkrow while Ben smiled at Mal's excitement. "Soup du jour, Hot hors d'oeuvres, Why, we only live to serve, Try the grey stuff, it's delicious, Don't believe me? Ask the dishes, They can sing, they can dance, After all, Miss, this is France, And a dinner here is never second best, Go on, unfold your menu, Take a glance and then you'll, Be our guests, Oui, our guests, Be our guests!~"

"Ooh." Cogsworth said as he was slightly hit by one of Lumiere's metallic arms.

Ben smiled happily as Mal looked like she was having a great time so far.

"Beef ragout, Cheese soufflé, Pie and pudding, en flambé~" Lumiere sang as a fish head jumped out of the pudding and hit Cogsworth in the face. "We'll prepare and serve with flair, A culinary cabaret!, You're alone, And you're scared, But the banquet's all prepared, No one's gloomy or complaining, While the flatware's entertaining~"

Honchkrow flew out onto the table which made Mal reach out for him, but he decided to watch the silverware come to life.

"We tell jokes! I do tricks, With my fellow candlesticks!~" Lumiere sang before some of the silverware took out a napkin and bounced him on it before he leaped high in the air above the table and clung to the swinging chandelier.

"And it's all in perfect taste that you can bet~" The chorus from the candles sang.

"Come on and lift your glass, You've won your own free pass, To be our guests~," Lumiere continued to Belle, Mal, and Honchrkow. "If you're stressed, It's fine dining we suggest, Be our guests!~"

"Be our guest, Be our guest~" Ben whispered to Mal playfully.

Sad music soon began to be played as the light was changed. Ben then put his hand on Mal's shoulder in comfort, though he hid a small chuckle at how overly dramatic this part of the song was, though it was sad, it was kind of funny with how Lumiere addressed it.

"Life is so unnerving, For a servant who's not serving, He's not whole without a soul to wait upon~," Lumiere soon sang, sadly and dramatically as he wore a napkin briefly before he came beside the mantle clock. "Ah, those good old days when we were useful, Eh, Cogsworth?, Suddenly those good old days are gone~"

Plumette and a couple of other feather duster maids soon tossed out some salt to make it look like it was snowing.

"Too long, we've been rusting~," Lumiere continued to sing as Belle and Mal began to eat some dinner. "Needing so much more than dusting, Needing exercise, a chance to use our skills~"

Suddenly, the tablecloth was grabbed with their plates of food as Cogsworth slipped, making the mantle clock land on the candelabra. 

"Most days, we just lay around the castle~," Lumiere sighed sadly before he bounced a bit with Cogsworth beside him. "Flabby, fat, and lazy, You walked in and oops-a-daisy~"

* * *

"It's some guests! It's some guests! Sake's alive, well I'll be blessed!~" Mrs. Potts sang as she hopped around the kitchen as some dishes were being cleaned while desserts were being made. "Wine's been poured and thank the Lord, I've had the napkins freshly pressed, With dessert, they'll want tea, And my dear, that's fine with me, While the cups do their soft-shoein', I'll be bubbling, I'll be brewing~"

A chorus was heard as Mrs. Potts was being raised up.

"I'll get warm, piping hot, Heaven's sakes! Is that a spot?~," The teapot sang before she saw Chip had a spot on his face before she blew it off. "Clean it up! We want the company impressed!, We've got a lot to do, Is it one lump or two?, For you, our guests!~"

"They're our guests!~" Lumiere sang with the chorus.

"They're our guests!~" Mrs. Potts sang back.

"They're our guests!~" Cogsworth sang with the chorus as Belle and Mal felt touched.

 _'Never knew Cogsworth could sing.'_ Honchkrow thought to himself.

"Be our guests! Be our guests!~," Plumette sang with the other maids as they all sparkled and looked very beautiful as their feathers were styled differently as they posed together like a peacock with its colorful tail. "Our command is your request, It's been years since we've had anybody here, And we're obsessed~"

"Oh, how pretty." Mal smiled at how beautiful that looked.

"With your meal, with your ease, yes, indeed, we aim to please!~" The chorus sang as a geyser spouted out of some punch. "While the candlelight's still glowing~"

Lumiere laughed as he danced around like he was dancing in the rain.

"Let us help you we'll keep you going~" The chorus sang.

Ben smiled as Mal was greatly entertained.

There seemed to be a model Taj Mahal in the middle of the dinner table now as Cogsworth appeared out of it with a turban on his head. "Course by~" he soon started.

"Course! One-by-one, 'Til you shout, 'Enough! I'm done!'~," Lumiere added with the chorus as he appeared out of the model with colorful confetti and fireworks surrounding the dining room. "Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest, Tonight, you'll prop your feet up, But for now, let's eat up, Be our guests! Be our guests! Be our guests! Please, be our guests!~" he then concluded with the others as the chairs came back down all around the table as he then knelt in front of the girls with a cloche and removed it to show two servings of a dessert for them. "Pudding?"

Belle and Mal both smiled warmly as they were entertained and enjoyed their dinner very much.

* * *

After the girls and Honchkrow got their fair share of food, they walked with Mrs. Potts.

"I don't understand why you're being so kind to us," Belle said to Mrs. Potts as she walked with Mal as Honchkrow flew all around. "Surely, you're as trapped here as we are. Don't you ever want to escape?" she then asked.

"The master's not as terrible as he appears," Mrs. Potts advised. "Somewhere deep in his soul, there's a prince of a fellow who just waiting to be set free."

"What of that younger beast that seems to like Mal?" Belle asked.

"I haven't seen him before, but he seems like a nice young lad himself." Mrs. Potts replied.

"Yeah, we're gonna get married," Mal nodded. "We were just somehow brought into this world somehow."

"I guess that's why you don't really remember how you got here based on what you've told me." Belle remarked.

Honchkrow began to look up to the West Wing curiously. 

Belle noticed that which made her think of something. "Lumiere mentioned something about a West Wing?" she then asked Mrs. Potts.

"Never you mind about that," Mrs. Potts tutted. "Off to bed with you, poppets."

"Yes, Mrs. Potts." Mal said.

"Good night." Belle added.

"Nighty night." Mrs. Potts nodded as she went away in the tea tray as Belle and Mal went upstairs.

"Come on, Honchkrow, it's time for bed." Mal then called for her Pokemon.

"Straight to bed." Mrs. Potts nodded on her way out.

Honchkrow nodded before flying down to Mal. Mrs. Potts was then gone for the night.

"You're going to check out the West Wing anyway, are you?" Mal asked Belle.

"It can't be all bad, right?" Belle replied innocently.

Even though Mal knew that going into the West Wing was bad, she simply shrugged. Belle looked over and began to make her way over to the West Wing even though she was told not to go there. Mal and Honchkrow soon joined Belle.

* * *

There was a bunch of stairs as they began to run up them while looking around to make sure no one was following them. Eventually, they made it up to the West Wing and as Belle made it there first, she soon opened the doors for them to come inside to take a look around. The room had several lit candles and appeared to be empty.

"I guess at least it looks comfortable enough..." Mal said as they made it into a bedroom before she soon looked over and saw what looked like a family portrait.

Honchkrow looked around the room as he flew.

"Be careful." Mal warned Honchkrow as it might be dangerous with messing around with anything in the room.

Belle noticed some slashes in the painting before they soon walked further in the room. Honchkrow soon flew out and landed on the bell jar before leaning over and pecked at the glass a bit.

"Careful with that." Mal told him.

Honchkrow then looked out at her as he stopped. Belle soon came up to the bell jar to see the enchanted rose and reached out as she loved roses.

Eventually, the Beast stomped down which startled all of them. " **WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO IT?!** he then snarled viciously.

"Nothing!" Belle and Mal replied quietly.

Honchkrow soon flew over to Mal's side before landing on her right shoulder.

"Do you realize what you could have done?" The Beast asked firmly, making the girls back up. "You could've damned us all! **GET OUT OF HERE!** "

Belle felt startled, so she began to turn away and run.

"GO!" The Beast demanded.

"That's not cool!" Mal glared as she didn't feel scared, having Maleficent as her mother and a god like Hades as her father.

" **YOU GET OUT TOO**!" The Beast told her.

Mal looked ready to let her dragon side out before calming down as she went after Belle because she knew what would happen next. The Beast soon panted a bit as he looked over the bell jar once the girls were gone.

* * *

Meanwhile, Cogsworth and Lumiere appeared to be playing Chess.

"Checkmate. Again." Lumiere told the mantle clock.

"Wait! No!" Cogsworth glared at the candelabra. "You cheated again."

"Belle! Wait!" Mal's voice called out.

That got Lumiere and Cogsworth's attention as they watched Belle running down the stairs.

"Mademoiselle, what are you doing?" Lumiere gasped.

"Getting out of here!" Belle replied fearfully.

"Belle, please wait!" Mal called out.

"STOP!" Cogsworth soon cried out before blowing a whistle.

"Go, go, Frou-Frou!" Lumiere called out as the footstool dog soon ran out and barked.

The doors soon began to close and shut to lock Belle in the castle.

"Belle, please stop!" Mal cried out as she and the others tried to keep Belle from leaving.

"I'm sorry, Mal, but I just can't stay here another minute!" Belle cried back as she made her way to one of the doors that Frou-Frou showed her.

"No, please!" Mal frowned.

"No!" Lumiere called out. "No, it's not playtime! Not now, silly boy."

"Bad dog. Bad dog!" Cogsworth added. "No! No! No!"

"Please don't go!" Ben warned Belle, but she soon went through the door that Frou-Frou showed her. "It's dangerous!"

Unfortunately, Belle didn't listen as she went to get Phillippe so she could get out of there.

"We have to stop her." Mal said in devastation.

Honchkrow nodded as he perched on her shoulder.

"Oh, my." Mrs. Potts frowned in concern.

* * *

Philippe soon rode off with Belle on his back as they went further into the deep, snowy forest before they soon heard some wolf howling and where that would lead to wolves who would want to get their meal. The wolves soon came together and began to chase after Belle and Philippe. Philippe continued to gallop in the forest before he was soon startled by the wolves who approached right in front of him. Belle felt scared, but she still made the horse go which made the wolves soon chase after them.

The chase went on for a while until they reached a frozen lake. Philippe's hooves slipped a bit as the wolves chased them. One wolf soon lunged out and grabbed onto Philippe which made him buck up a bit and whinny out of fear. Belle soon got off of the horse's back and grabbed a branch to hit the wolves and defend herself with. It seemed to work for a little while until one of the wolves caught in its mouth. Belle tried to get the branch back only for the wolf to win and soon tossed it out of his mouth into the frozen lake.

Another wolf growled from the top of a ledge before it soon jumped out to pounce on Belle. Before it could though, the Beast soon tackled the wolf while in the air and flung the wolf deep into the forest. The other wolves then came towards the Beast and began to attack him while Belle sat on the ice in a bit of worry. Phillippe was even worried as he was nervous around the wolves. The Beast and the wolves both growled as they began to attack each other.

One wolf was soon thrown and it growled at the Beast. The Beast glared at that wolf and growled even louder. The wolf soon whimpered and ran away as the other wolves decided to get out while they still could. Once the wolves were gone, the Beast looked over to Belle to see if she was okay. Belle panted a bit from all of the excitement as she stood beside Philippe. The Beast soon panted heavily as he looked at her before he then collapsed in the middle of the ground.

Belle then looked ready to go back home and got ready to do so before she thought of how the Beast saved her life before she approached him and gave him her cloak before she knelt beside him. "You have to help me," she then whispered. "You have to stand."

The Beast grunted a bit as he was still able to stand, so Belle brought him back home, carrying him on Philippe's back as she decided not to go back home.

* * *

**_Meanwhile with Gaston, LeFou, and Maurice..._ **

Esabella and Circe hid away in the background as Gaston drove Maurice's buggy with Maurice and LeFou riding with him.

"No. I'm sure this is the way," Maurice said, trying to give directions to the castle. "Do you hear those wolves? That means we're getting very close to the castle."

"Look, enough is enough," Gaston sighed in exhaustion. "We have to turn back."

"Well, this is going better than I had planned." Circe whispered.

"This is all part of your plan, Mother?" Esabella asked.

"Yes, of course," Circe replied. "Just play along quietly with Mother dearest~"

Esabella soon grinned eagerly.

"Stop! That's it. There it is," Maurice said as the buggy soon stopped and he got out of it to show the tree he saw last night, though it was brought back up somehow even though it was struck down by lightning. "That's the tree. I'm sure of it. I-It was downed by lightning at the time," he then tried to explain which began to make him sound crazy. "But now it's resumed an upright position through some sort of magic or other."

"Well, he's right about that." Circe whispered to herself.

"Mother, what happened to the tree?" Esabella asked.

"It's complicated magic," Circe replied. "I'll tell you later."

"You really wanna marry into this family?" LeFou scoffed at Gaston with how loony Maurice seemed.

"So that means that the... The castle is that--... No. No, it's--... That way. Definitely... That way." Maurice tried to explain while Gaston and LeFou just looked at the old man like he was crazy.

"I am done playing this game," Gaston said as he went over to Maurice. "Where is Belle? And her friends?"

"The Beast took them and they--" Maurice tried to explain.

"There are no such things as beasts, or talking teacups, or magic!" Gaston glared.

Esabella looked firm, but Circe reminded her daughter to be quiet and calm.

"But there are wolves, frostbite, and starvation!" Gaston then continued firmly.

"Deep breaths, Gaston," LeFou reminded Gaston as he stood up. "Deep breaths."

Gaston soon began to breathe deeply as LeFou suggested. Maurice frowned as the two younger men refused to believe him.

"So, why don't we just turn around, go back to Villeneuve?" Gaston suggested calmly to Maurice. "I'm sure Belle is at home, cooking up a lovely dinner."

"If you think I've made all this up then why did you offer to help?" Maurice asked Gaston.

"Because, I want to marry your daughter!" Gaston suddenly yelled out.

Esabella snickered about how not subtle that was while Circe rolled her eyes.

"Now, let's go home." Gaston then said, calming himself down a bit.

"Belle is not at home!" Maurice reminded. "She and her new friend are with the--"

"You say 'Beast' one more time, **I WILL FEED YOU TO THE WOLVES!** " Gaston threatened as he grabbed a hold of the old man.

"He's letting his true colors show." Circe whispered with a smirk.

"Is this supposed to happen?" Esabella asked her mother.

"It's at least entertaining." Circe smirked.

"Gaston, stop it!" LeFou warned his friend, taking a hold of him as he tried to make him calm down once Maurice got free from the younger man's strong grip. "Breathe, think of happy thoughts, go back to the war, blood, explosions, countless widows."

"Men make me sick." Esabella whispered to her mother.

"I feel the same way sometimes, darling." Circe cooed as she gently stroked her daughter's blonde hair.

Gaston chuckled as he soon turned back at the old man with a small smile. "Maurice! Please forgive me, old bean. That's no way to talk to my future father-in-law, now is it?" he then said bashfully and innocently.

"Future father-in-law?" Maurice seemed to deadpan.

"Yeah." Gaston nodded.

Esabella and Circe glanced at each other on that.

"You will never marry my daughter." Maurice then firmly told Gaston.

"And here comes Gaston's response." Circe whispered.

Esabella nodded at her mother. Gaston soon reacted by striking Maurice in the face which felt a bit startling to Esabella, even though her mother was evil even if no one believed The Enchantress would be seen as evil in Belle and Adam's fairy tale before Auradon existed.

"I saw that coming." LeFou said as Maurice was suddenly on the ground as he was an old man who couldn't defend himself.

"As did I." Circe remarked to herself.

"If Maurice won't give me his blessing, then he's in my way," Gaston said as he soon tied Maurice up to the tree while the old man was unconscious before he came back to the cart to leave with LeFou. "Once the wolves are finished with him, Belle and her friend will have no one to take care of them, but US!"

"For the sake of exhausting all of our options, do we, maybe, wanna consider a slightly less... Gruesome alternative?" LeFou asked.

"Are you coming?" Gaston replied impatiently.

LeFou soon climbed into the cart as Gaston made the horse leave the forest while Maurice was knocked out. As they began to leave, there were more wolf howls heard in the distance.


	5. Chapter 5

The beast was soon heard roaring in pain at the castle. Belle was trying to nurse him while Mal and Honchkrow were helping Belle in case she would need it.

"That hurts!" The Beast complained as he was in bed.

"If you held still, it wouldn't hurt as much." Belle advised.

"Well, if you hadn't run away, none of this would have happened." The Beast then huffed.

"If you hadn't frightened me I wouldn't have run away." Belle replied.

Mal hid a small smarmy smirk.

"Well, you shouldn't have been in the West Wing." The Beast retorted.

"Well, you should learn to control your temper!" Belle defended firmly.

The Beast then huffed and turned his back at her as he turned over in his bed.

'They sure are an interesting pair.' Honchkrow thought to himself.

"Try to get some rest." Belle suggested as she decided to leave the Beast alone for the evening.

The Beast then started to fall asleep a bit despite his grumpiness with her.

"Thank you, Miss." Mrs. Potts smiled warmly.

"We are eternally grateful." Lumiere added.

"Why do you care about him so much?" Belle asked them.

"Because he's Ben's father." Mal whispered.

"What?" Belle asked her.

"I didn't say anything." Mal replied nervously.

"We've looked after him all his life." Mrs. Potts soon told Belle.

"He's cursed you somehow. Why?" Belle asked. "You did nothing."

"You're quite right there, dear," Mrs. Potts said softly. "You see, when the master lost his mother and his cruel father took that sweet, innocent lad and twisted him up to be just like him, we did nothing."

Belle looked soft at that before glancing at the Beast as he turned over in his bed.

"Let him sleep." Lumiere advised as they began to leave the room.

The Beast began to think back to when he last saw his mother at a young age. Mal and Honchkrow looked a little emotional.

* * *

_"Days in the sun, When my life has barely begun, Not until my whole life is done, Will I ever leave you~" The young prince began to sing as he was beside his mother as she lay in her death bed._

_That was until his father took him away from her to mold him into his spitting image._

* * *

The Beast looked a little sad as he sat in his bed while remembering his broken childhood.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the ballroom, the coat rack was playing the violin while Cadenza played his keyboard a bit from where he sat.

"Will I tremble again to my dear one's gorgeous refrain?~" Cadenza began to sing lowly.

"Will you now forever remain out of reach of my arms?~" Lumiere and Plumette added as they danced together in the middle of the ballroom.

"Oh, those days in the sun, what I'd give to relive just one~" Mrs. Potts sang as she got Chip and Carina to bed.

"'Night, Mama." Chip and Carina both yawned as they went to sleep in the cupboard.

"Undo what's done, And bring back the light~" Mrs. Potts sang as she tucked Chip in while Carina slept in her own space and she turned out the light for her teacup children.

"Oh, I could sing of the pain these dark days bring~," Madame De Garderobe soon sang as she saw Belle, Honchkrow, and Mal. "The spell we're under, Still it's the wonder of us I sing of tonight~"

"How in the midst of all this sorrow, Can so much hope and love endure?~" Mal sang.

"We were innocent and certain now, we're wiser but unsure~" Belle sang.

"Days in the past~" Madame De Garderobe sang.

"I can't go back into my childhood~" Mal then sang.

"Oh, those precious days couldn't last~" Madame De Garderobe sang in the background.

"One that my mother made secure~," Mal then sang before an image of a six-year-old Mal was shown as Evie had a birthday party on the Isle of the Lost when they were kids with Carlos and Jay, but they all weren't friends yet and Mal wasn't invited to the party, so she had to stay inside with her mother. "I can feel a change in me~"

"Oh, hold me closer~" Madame De Garderobe continued.

"I'm stronger now, but still not free~" Mal then sang before looking out the window with Honchkrow.

The light of the sun soon shined as the next day came and where soon, the servants, Mal, Belle, Honchkrow, and Ben were seen with the Beast.

"Days in the sun will return we must believe~," Everybody began to sing together as Belle continued to nurse the Beast while Ben and Mal squeezed each other's hands as they stood together with the servants. "As lovers do, That days in the sun will come shining through~"

Honchkrow began to look curious, wondering if the Beast was healed up from plenty of rest.

Belle took a look at the rose in the bell jar before she asked, "What happens if the last petal falls?"

"The master remains a beast forever," Lumiere replied. "And we become--"

"Antiques." Mrs. Potts replied.

"Knick-knacks." Lumiere added.

"Lightly-used houseware." Plumette added.

"Rubbish," Cogsworth sighed sadly. "We become rubbish."

"So that's why he reacted the way he did when he saw the rose was almost touched." Mal said, even if she already knew why that was.

"Precisely." Cogsworth nodded at the purple-haired girl.

"We want to help you," Belle said before sitting down on the bed. "There must be some way to break the curse."

"Well, there is one." Cogsworth spoke up only for Lumiere to nudge the mantle clock as they decided not to bring that up.

"It's not for you to worry about, lamb," Mrs. Potts coaxed. "We've made our bed and we must lie in it."

"Isn't it 'they've dug their own graves and now they have to lie in it'?" Honchkrow whispered to Mal.

"It can go either way," Mal whispered back. "I'd rather say the grave one though."

Honchkrow then nodded. Suddenly, another rose petal was seen falling in the bell jar which seemed to wake up the Beast as it caused the castle to shake. Honchkrow hid behind Mal a bit.

"It's okay, it's okay..." Mal soothed her Pokemon. "It won't hurt you."

* * *

Meanwhile, outside the castle, Circe and Esabella went out for a walk together.

"This plan is going to work," Circe smirked. "Because we are going to help Mal bring out her dragon side and maybe even have her do a little magic."

"Dragon side?" Esabella asked. "Are you sure it'll work here?"

"It should, yes," Circe nodded. "Just leave it to Mother Dearest~"

"Yes, Mother." Esabella replied.

"Of course," Circe replied. "That Carlos de Vil, Charity Charming, Max Maple, and Jane Godmother got lucky they were sent to the Cinderella and Fairy Godmother they were sent to. This time, Mal Faery and Ben Beast won't be so lucky... Next, we will strike Felicity Forte and Chip Potts."

"Of course, Mother," Esabella replied. "Mother... Whatever happened to the Three Good Fairies' nieces?"

"Excuse me?" Circe asked.

"You remember," Esabella reminded. "Flora's niece Fuchsia, Fauna's niece Olive, and Merryweather's niece Marine," she then explained. "They were supposed to come to Auradon Prep when those VKs were accepted so that their aunts could teach them how to handle their magic, especially with helping Princess Audrey Rose."

"Ah, yes, I remember," Circe then said. "Well, there's no need to worry about them. They were sent somewhere where nobody will have to worry about them."

"I guess so," Esabella said before seeing the woman called Agathe helping Maurice. "Uh, Mother?"

"Yes, dear?" Circe replied.

Esabella pointed out what she saw to her mother. Circe then took a look with her to see that. Maurice soon woke up to see Agathe before she began to take a hold of the old man and led him away from the tree to help him and luckily, the wolves hadn't come for him.

"I don't believe it." Circe glared.

Esabella felt nervous as her mother began to feel angry. Maurice breathed a bit shakily as Agathe took him to a safer spot in the forest and brought to her what almost looked like a cottage. An owl was shown as Maurice was being put to lie down as Agathe got him a drink and held it out to him.

"Drink." The woman softly told him.

Maurice couldn't hold the drink, so he sipped it from where he sat, shivering a bit.

"Thank you, Agathe." Maurice told her once he finished sipping the drink.

Agathe nodded with a small smile. Circe's eyes flashed a bright pink color as she watched in the distance with Esabella.

* * *

**_Meanwhile with Mal, Ben, Honchkrow, Beast, and Belle..._ **

"'Love can transpose to form and dignity'," Belle began to recite from "A Midsummer's Night Dream" as she sat beside the Beast while he was till in bed, trying to recover. "'Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind'--"

"'And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind'." The Beast memorized himself.

 _'Did not see that coming.'_ Honchkrow thought to himself.

"Uh, I don't know this poem, so I'm gonna sit this one out." Mal smiled bashfully between Belle and the Beast's bonding.

"I'll be sure to show you my copy." Ben smiled at her softly.

"You know Shakespeare." Belle realized.

"I had an expensive education." The Beast grunted a bit as he rolled over to talk to her.

That excited Belle to see another book lover, not to mention with her favorite writer. "Actually, _Romeo and Juliet_ 's my favorite play." she then said to him with a small smile.

 _'Somehow I'm not surprised to hear that.'_ Honchkrow thought to himself.

The Beast more or less had the same response of what Belle had said.

"That's what _I_ said!" Honchkrow chuckled to himself.

"I'm sorry?" Belle replied to the Beast, slightly offended.

"Well, all that heartache, and pining, and... Blech!" The Beast replied before retching in disgust. "So many better things to read."

'Oh, here comes when he shows her his library.' Ben thought to himself with a smile.

"Like what?" Belle asked the Beast.

"Mal, you should see this," Ben soon said to his fiancée. "This is a very big and important moment in my parents' relationship."

"Oh?" Mal replied before Ben decided to let her see what would happen as he loved this part of the story of when his parents met.

"Well, there are a couple of things in here you could start with..." The Beast said as he opened the doors to the castle library.

Belle began to stare at the library in amazement.

"He calls these a couple of things?" Mal asked Ben as they saw how many books there were.

"Are you alright?" Beast asked Belle as she seemed to be in stunned silence.

"It's wonderful!" Belle beamed in excitement.

"Yes, I suppose it is," Beast seemed to smile at her. "Well, if you like it so much, then it's yours."

"Are they in love now?" Mal asked Ben.

"It's getting started." Ben nodded.

Beast began to walk down to a certain part of the library.

"Have you really read every single one of these books?" Belle asked the Beast.

"No, not all of them," Beast replied. "Some of them are in Greek.

Mal snickered a little from that.

Belle even chuckled. "Was that a joke?" she then asked him with an amused smile. "Are you making jokes now?"

"Maybe." Beast said as he seemed to smirk before he began to leave the room.

 _'Oh, yeah. They're falling in love.'_ Honchkrow thought to himself.

"He really is something else, isn't he?" Belle asked Mal and Ben.

"Oh, yeah," Mal smirked. "He's something."

"Or other." Ben added.

Belle nodded as she began to gush and enjoy being able to visit her own library with so many books about.

* * *

Sometime later, Belle and Beast were eating together. Belle gave a friendly smile from across the table as she read a book she borrowed from the castle library. Beast smiled back at her before he soon slurped down his bowl of food like a wild animal. Belle gave a bit of an amused chuckle as the food dripped from his face before she read more of her book.

"I guess you take after your mother." Mal said to Ben playfully.

* * *

After finishing eating, they were now outside.

Belle read aloud from her book as they took a winter stroll through the snow together. "'The air is blue and keen and cold and in a frozen sheath, enrolled. Each branch, each twig, each blade of grass seems clad miraculously with...'" she then stopped as she noticed Beast looking out into the snow-covered forest as they crossed the bridge. "'Glass'."

"I feel as if I'm seeing it for the first time," Beast said softly as they looked at the forest together before facing Belle. "Is there any more?"

"Um..." Belle smiled bashfully before she read more from her book. "'But in that solemn silence is heard the whisper of every sleeping thing. Look. Look at me. Come wake me up. For still here I be'." she then continued as they walked through the snow together.

Honchkrow shivered a bit before Mal tried to warm up her Pokemon. "It's so cold out here." he whispered to himself.

"I know it's not much, but try this scarf." Mal said as she wrapped her Pokemon in the scarf she borrowed.

"I guess it will do," Honchkrow replied. "Man, who knew that summertime could feel so cold?"

"I think former Prince Elwin or Arendelle's parents could tell you that much." Mal smirked playfully.

* * *

They were soon seen in front of the castle with Philippe. Belle came to her horse in a soothing way as she reached out to pet him a little bit. Beast tried to approach, but he startled the horse. Belle reminded him to be gentle as she reached out to touch Philippe and soon had him touch in the same way which was gentle and peaceful. The two seemed to smile at each other as Beast continued to pet the horse.

 _'He's being gentle.'_ Honchkrow thought to himself.

"There's something sweet and almost kind, But he was mean and he was coarse and unrefined, And now he's dear and so unsure~," Belle began to sing as she walked off, hiking up her hood as the snow fell all around as she walked up the steps as Beast was being the best he could be at being gentle with the horse. "I wonder why I didn't see it there before~"

 _'I wonder if she'll start a snowball fight now.'_ Mal thought to herself as she, Ben, and Honchkrow watched.

Belle soon scooped up some snow from the railings and decided to toss it out at her newest friend. Beast yelped as he got hit by the snowball. Belle then laughed a bit as she looked at him from where she stood. Beast then took out an even bigger snowball and threw it right at Belle with a chuckle as it hit her face and she fell down in the middle of the snow.

"Snowball fight." Mal smiled. She then yelped as she suddenly felt a snowball hit her before she glared a bit.

Ben was soon whistling innocently as he was on his way inside before smirking at Mal with a wink of his eye. Mal smirked back as she scooped up some snow and threw a snowball at Ben.

"Gah!" Ben yelped before narrowing his eyes. "How'd you get to be such a good shot?"

"I might've learned something that your mother told me about her first Christmas with your father after we celebrated our own little special Christmas in Auradon," Mal smirked. "I'm also looking forward to an enchanting Christmas with her and all the other Disney Princesses someday though."

"Yeah, hopefully, you have fun," Ben replied. "Mom usually likes to tell the story of when she celebrated the holiday with Felicity's parents, aunt, and uncle."

* * *

They were soon back inside.

"She glanced this way, I thought I saw, And when we touched she didn't shudder at my paw~," Beast soon sang to himself as he picked up his plate and decided to sit closer to Belle at the dining table while Mal, Ben, and Honchkrow sat together in their own space. "No, it can't be, I'll just ignore, But then she's never looked at me that way before~"

Belle looked at him and decided to show him a proper way to slurp from a bowl after finishing the food inside. Beast noticed that and soon tried to do the same without looking like a wild animal which amused Belle a bit. Mal, Ben, and Honchkrow smiled as that was a good sign. Plumette and the other feather duster maids began to dust all around as the castle began to look good as new due to the Beast's good mood ever since Belle came to the castle.

"New, and a bit alarming, Who'd have ever thought that this could be?~" Belle sang as she climbed up the library ladder to pick out a book as she smiled as it seemed to be a sunny, but still snowy day outside. "True that he's no Prince Charming, But there's something in him that I simply didn't see~" she then added before giving Beast the book as he was there with her.

Mal, Ben, and Honchkrow were soon seen with Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth, Lumiere, and Chip.

"Well, who'd have thought?" Plumette smiled.

"Well, bless my soul!" Mrs. Potts added.

"Well, who'd have known?" Lumiere asked.

"Well, who indeed?" Cogsworth added.

"And who'd have guessed they'd come together on their own?" Ben couldn't help but ask.

"It's so peculiar." Mal added as she was told about the story.

"Wait and see~" Honchkrow piped up.

"We'll wait and see, A few days more, There may be something there, That wasn't there before~" They concluded together as Belle and Beast shared some books together as the servants and guests from an alternate future decided to give them some privacy.

"You know I think there may be something that wasn't there before." Cogsworth said.

Plumette chuckled a bit at that.

"What, Carina?" Chip asked his sister.

"There may be something there that wasn't there before~" Mrs. Potts sang.

"What is it?" Chip asked. "What's there?"

"You're too young to understand." Carina told him.

"I'll tell you when you're older." Mrs. Potts added to Chip.

Carina nodded at that while Chip eyed his mother and sister curiously.

Chip soon waited a few moments before smirking. "Okay! I'm older!"

"Chip," Mrs. Potts chuckled a bit as the tea tray rolled away out of the library to give Belle and Beast some privacy. "Oh, you are a one."

"He sure is." Carina giggled in agreement.

* * *

Later on, Mal and Ben were bonding as they thought about their wedding and how they were possibly going to get back to Auradon.

"How are we gonna get back home?" Mal asked. "What if we never see Auradon again?"

"I'm sure it'll be alright, Mal," Ben replied. "Though it does feel weird that we were somehow sent here."

"Yeah, it's like we were sent here for a reason." Mal said.

"But what could it be?" Honchkrow wondered.

"I dunno, but I won't rest until I find out." Mal decided as she pet her Pokemon.

"Pardon me," Belle told Mal, Ben, and Honchkrow. "I'm going out for a little bit."

"Some fresh air is good." Mal smiled.

"Yes, I think so too." Belle smiled back.

"Well, you have fun," Ben told her. "I'm gonna stay here with Mal and Honchkrow for a while."

Belle smiled as she soon went outside to see Beast.

"What did you say your dad's name was again?" Mal asked Ben.

"It's Adam," Ben replied. "I'm not sure if it's the same in this world or not."

"He's got a good point." Honchkrow nodded.

"Well, it's better than King Beast as what me and the others on the Isle have heard." Mal remarked.

"Yeah, it's a bit of a nickname due to his reputation," Ben chuckled. "Especially when Sora, Donald, and Goofy met him and my mother 20 years ago."

Honchkrow hid a chuckle as he could imagine that. Belle was soon coming out to see Beast as he sat alone in the snowy garden with a book until she came by. "What are you reading?" she then asked as she spotted him.

"Nothing." Beast said bashfully as he quickly closed the book.

" _'Guinevere and Lancelot'_." Belle noticed as she came to sit with him.

"Well, actually... _'King Arthur and the Round Table'_ ," Beast corrected bashfully. "Knights, and men, and swords, and things..."

"Hmm... Still, it's romance." Belle told him.

"Alright..." Beast nodded bashfully.

Belle smiled before she remembered something. "I never thanked you for saving my life." she then said.

"Well, I never thanked you for not leaving me to be eaten by wolves." Beast replied bashfully.

Belle laughed a little from that. They soon heard the others chattering excitedly.

"They know how to have a good time." Belle said as she overheard the excitement.

"Yes, but when I enter the room, the laughter dies." Beast replied as he rolled his eyes.

"Me too." Belle added softly as it was true for her too.

Beast looked at her in surprise.

"The villagers say that I'm a funny girl, but I'm not sure they mean it as a compliment." Belle then explained.

"I'm sorry," Beast frowned in concern. "Your village sounds terrible."

"Almost as lonely as your castle." Belle sighed.

"What do you say we run away?" Beast asked as he felt inspired.

Belle looked both amused and intrigued before they decided to revisit the library. Honchkrow began to look through the books on every shelf in the library.

* * *

"What is he doing?" Ben asked.

"Looking for a way out of this world or why we were sent here." Mal replied.

"Huh? What's this?" Honchkrow asked as he found a unique book.

Mal and Ben glanced over to the Pokemon and came to see him.

"What is, Honchkrow?" Mal asked as she came to help him with the book. "You find something weird?"

"Not weird, but this book seems different than the other books." Honchkrow said.

Mal took a hold of the book before looking over. Belle and Beast were soon coming into the library themselves.

"We should give them some privacy." Mal suggested before walking out of the library as Ben and Honchkrow followed.

"Now I know this one special book is close by." Beast said.

Mal and Ben looked at each other as they thought maybe they had the book.

"Uh, sir?" Ben spoke up as he took the book from Mal before holding it out to the beast. "Is this the book you're looking for?" he then asked, a bit nervously with a sheepish smile.

"Yes, it is." Beast said as he accepted the book.

Ben smiled as he let the older beast take the book.

"Another little gift from the enchantress," Beast told Belle as he opened the book to show her about it, blowing the dust off of it. "A book that truly allows you to escape." he then gestured for Ben, Mal, and Honchkrow to take a look with them.

The three soon came to Belle and Beast's sides as they saw the book was opened to what looked like a world atlas that was shimmering with magic.

"How amazing!" Belle gasped.

"It was her cruelest trick of all. It was just another curse," Beast informed. "The outside world has no place for a creature like me, but it can for you," he then said before he took Belle's hand as she let him take it before their hands were on the book, so Mal and Ben began to do the same. "Think of the one place you've always wanted to see. Now find it in your mind's eye. Then feel it in your heart." he then advised Belle.

Belle soon placed her hand on the book before something magical happened.

* * *

Suddenly, the scene changed. It appeared to be after dark as they left the castle library and suddenly found themselves in a big city which seemed to be the country of France, but in the bigger and more well-known city, especially when the Notre Dame Cathedral was shown. Belle, Mal, Ben, Beast, and Honchkrow then suddenly arrived inside of somewhere very different: a windmill building than the castle library.

"Where did you take us?" Beast asked Belle.

"Paris." Belle replied.

"I guess that explains that Cathedral," Mal said as she peeked out the window before looking at Ben. "I think Claudine Frollo's father is from here."

Ben nodded at that.

"Oh, I love Paris," Beast smiled at Belle. "What would you like to see first? Notre Dame? The Champs-Elysées?" he then looked at her as she suddenly looked emotional. "No? Too touristy?"

"It's so much smaller than I imagined." Belle said softly as she looked like she could cry.

Honchkrow looked curious at Belle as she soon picked up some paper that had sketches of what looked like a baby girl on them.

Mal recognized the artistry from the drawing and knew why Belle chose Paris. "This was before you moved to the village from Paris, isn't?" she then asked the brunette girl. 

"You're very smart and clever." Belle replied with a nod.

Mal looked a bit soft as Belle looked emotional.

"This is the Paris of my childhood~," Belle began to sing as they sat down while she looked around, looking very emotional as she thought about someone very important in her life who she missed terribly, even to this day. "These were the borders of my life, In this crumbling, dusty attic, Where an artist loved his wife, Easy to remember, Harder to move on, Knowing the Paris of my childhood is gone~"

"What happened to your mother?" Beast asked her.

"It was the one story Papa could never bring himself to tell," Belle said softly. "I knew better than to ask."

Beast nodded before he found something in a chair as he picked it up, feeling like he knew what happened to Belle's mother. "A doctor's mask," he then said as he softly looked at her. "Plague."

Belle soon began to envision of how it all went down in that very room on her mother's death.

* * *

_There was shouting heard as a woman was checked over by a masked doctor._

_"You must leave," The doctor advised to the man in the room before going away. "Now."_

_"Quickly... Before it takes her too." The sick woman in bed told the man._

_The man looked tearful as he looked at his sick wife before going away with their baby daughter. As they left, the woman cried in bed while kissing the tip of a red rose pendant. The baby was heard crying as if she knew that she wouldn't see her mother again._

* * *

Mal held her heart as she had a very soft and painful feeling as she had tears in her eyes.

 ** _"Mommy... Who is my daddy?"_** A young girl's voice asked in Mal's head.

 ** _"An undeserving human who is unworthy and should not be acknowledged..."_ **Maleficent's voice replied firmly.

Mal squeezed her eyes shut as she felt some pain she had since early childhood before she was told the truth about her missing father when she got a bit older. Ben noticed that and put his hand on Mal's shoulder to soothe her.

"I'm sorry I ever called your father a thief." Beast softly said to Belle in regret.

"Can we please just go home?" Belle frowned.

"That might be the best idea." Ben agreed.

Beast nodded as he decided to bring Belle back to the castle, along with Ben, Mal, and Honchkrow. Mal played a bit with her necklace that had a broken half on it, though she never knew where the other half was and it had her first initial on it.


	6. Chapter 6

Meanwhile, in the village, it appeared to be a dark and stormy night.

"This is some storm, huh?" LeFou asked Gaston as they walked through the rain, looking sheepish. " At least we're not tied to a tree in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by bloodthirsty wolves. You know it's not too late. We could always turn back--" he was about to suggest.

Gaston then flashed LeFou a look which made the smaller man shut himself up.

"He really does not know when to just keep his big mouth shut." Esabella whispered to her mother as they watched Gaston and LeFou making their way to the tavern.

"Lots of men make mistakes like that, my dear." Circe replied before using her magic to change herself and her daughter into bats to follow after Gaston and LeFou.

Esabella soon followed after her mother as they continued to watch the two men.

"It's just... Every time I close my eyes, I picture Maurice stranded alone," LeFou said to Gaston as they went down the stairs and came into the main room of the tavern. "And then when I open them, he's--" he then stopped as they saw the old man in the room as he sat at the table, looking right at them, though he smiled while Gaston felt frustrated. "Maurice!"

"He didn't expect Maurice to still be alive." Circe whispered to herself.

"Guess Agathe made other plans." Esabella said to her mother.

"Hush, child." Circe shushed her daughter.

"Gaston, did you try to kill Maurice?" The barkeep asked the strong, young man sharply.

"Maurice!" Gaston gasped at Maurice like he hadn't seen the older man in quite a while. "Thank heavens! I've spent the last five days trying to find you."

Esabella couldn't help but roll her eyes at that.

"You tried to kill me," Maurice sharply told Gaston. "You left me to the wolves."

"Wolves?" Gaston replied innocently. "It's one thing to rave about your delusions. It's another to accuse me of attempted murder."

"Shall we include ourselves in this, Mother?" Esabella asked her mother.

"Hmm... Perhaps..." Circe said. "If you think you're ready."

Esabella nodded before she and Circe went to a corner and changed into their human forms, both with blonde hair and green dresses, though Circe had a glowing rose in her hands as she had a bit of a wicked smirk before hiding it as they blended in with the rest of the crowd.

"Maurice, do you have any proof of what you're saying?" Jean spoke up to the old man.

Maurice wasn't sure what to say before he saw a certain woman and pointed at her. "Ask Agathe. She rescued me." he then said hopefully.

"Her?" Esabella asked before looking like she was about to call Maurice crazy for suggesting to ask Agathe.

Circe smirked in approval.

"Agathe!" Gaston laughed. "That little girl has a good point. You'd hang your accusations on the testimony of a filthy hag? No offense, Agathe." he then quickly added to the woman.

Agathe gave him a small look as LeFou stared at the floor bashfully.

"Any other witnesses?" Esabella smirked at Maurice.

"Monsieur LeFou," Maurice soon said as he saw the man hiding in the corner. "He was there. He saw it all."

"Me?" LeFou squeaked slightly.

"You're right. Don't take my word for it," Gaston smirked as he grabbed a hold of the man and put his hands firmly on his shoulders. "LeFou, my dearest companion, did I, your oldest friend and most loyal compatriot, try to kill the father of the only woman I've ever loved?"

"Well, it's a complicated question on a number of accounts--" LeFou smiled bashfully before Gaston gave him a sharp look which was a bit frightening. "But no. No, he did not." he then answered the question nervously.

The people in the tavern began to look concerned.

"He's clearly gone more crazy than anyone could have thought," Esabella said, referring to Maurice before facing Circe. "Right Mother?"

"Oh, you're absolutely right, my dear," Circe gasped dramatically. "I'm afraid Maurice has become a danger to himself just as well as the rest of us in the village!"

Maurice looked like he wanted to hit Gaston, but the younger man caught his arm. The old man then groaned as he was unable to keep up the same strength as the younger man.

"Maurice, it pains me to say this, but I agree with that woman and her child," Gaston told the old man. "No wonder Belle and her new friend and strange pet ran away. You need help, sir. A place to heal your troubled mind. Everything's going to be fine. Just fine." he then said, turning him to three other men who looked ready to take Maurice out of the tavern and have him locked up.

* * *

**_Meanwhile back at the castle..._ **

"Well, I saw her in the ballroom and said, 'You're making everything look so beautiful. We should have a dance tonight'," Beast groaned as he was taking a bath to get himself cleaned up while the servants were there to help out if he needed it. "I never imagined she'd actually say yes. What was I thinking?"

"No, Master. It's perfect," Lumiere encouraged. "Ze rose has only four petals left which means tonight, you can tell her how you feel."

"I feel like a fool," Beast huffed. "She will never love me like that purple-haired girl seems to love that boy beast."

"Do not feel discouraged." Lumiere told him.

Beast then suddenly shook himself dry as the water splashed around.

Lumiere spit out some water before igniting his flame back. "She is ze one!" he then told his young master.

"I wish you'd stop saying that!" Beast complained as he got dried off and was now in his robe as he sat down at a chair that was in front of his vanity mirror. "There is no 'one'."

"You care for her, don't you?" Lumiere asked his young master. "Well, zen woo her with romantic music and romantic candlelight."

"Yes, and when the moment's just right..." Plumette added as she flew around, giving a sultry giggle.

"Well, how will I know?" Beast asked them softly.

"You will feel slightly nauseous." Cogsworth advised.

"Don't worry, Master," Lumiere advised. "You'll do fine."

"Just stop being so nervous and tell Belle how you feel," Mrs. Potts soothed before she got firm and serious. "Because if you don't, I promise you'll be drinking cold tea for the rest of your days!"

"In the dark." Lumiere told Beast.

"Covered in dust." Plumette added.

"Dark and very, very dusty!" Lumiere nodded as he clapped his metallic hands which made a dinging sound.

And so, Beast was made to sit down to get a bit of a makeover.

"Start with ze hair," Lumiere announced as the coat rack approached Beast with a pair of scissors. "Women love nice hair!"

"I'll take the fingers and toes." Mrs. Potts offered.

"Chapeau, brush those teeth," Cogsworth commanded before Beast had his fangs brushed vigorously to become pearly white. "They need it."

"Dip, dip. Snip, snip. Polish ze nails, shine ze horns." Lumiere said as they did Beast's nails and hair and horns.

"Eyes closed," Plumette told Beast who soon closed his eyes as she powdered his face. "Poof, poof."

"And to top it all off..." Lumiere then said before tossing a powdered wig on his head. "Voila!"

Beast smiled confidently as he had a powdered white face with rosy red cheeks and a powdered wig.

"Okay, I can fix this..." Lumiere then said as he had to admit that this looked ridiculous.

Beast sighed as he hoped Lumiere knew what he was doing.

* * *

Meanwhile, Belle was getting ready for her date with the Beast.

"You look amazing." Mal said softly, feeling amazed and special that she got to see Belle's yellow ballgown up close like this since she heard about her first dance with Prince Adam before their wedding.

"Oh! Beautiful!" Madame De Garderobe approved before looking thoughtful. "But something is missing."

Mal and the wardrobe soon looked up at the ceiling at the chandelier.

"Oh, yes," Madame De Garderobe smiled as she felt inspired. "The finishing touch."

The gold parts of the chandelier began to come off and floated down to Belle's dress before forming into a beautiful pattern on the dress.

"Whoa... That looks so cool..." Mal gasped at the sight of that.

Belle smiled warmly as she appreciated Mal's compliment and what the wardrobe had done for her. Eventually, Belle came out of the room and came to the staircase as Beast stood on the other end with his blue coat as he looked cleaned up, thanks to the help of his servants as it was time for the most important moment between them. Ben came up beside Mal with a smile and hugged her arm. Mal smiled back as Honchkrow was seen perched close by. Music soon began to play so that Belle and Beast could share a dance together.

"His name better not be Florian." Ben said to Mal about his father in this universe.

Mal snorted a little at that as Belle and Beast bowed to each other and began to ascend down the stairs to share a dance together.

 _'And cue romantic song.'_ Honchkrow thought to himself.

"Tale as old as time, True as it can be, Barely even friends, Then somebody bends unexpectedly~," Mrs. Potts began to sing as she was on her tea tray with Chip and Carina. "Just a little change, Small to say the least, Both a little scared, Neither one prepared, Beauty and the Beast~"

Ben soon bowed to Mal and offered her to dance with them. Mal smiled as she decided to dance as well while Honchkrow flew out of the way and landed on Cadenza where Lumiere and Cogsworth were.

"Ever just the same, Ever a surprise, Ever as before, Ever just as sure, As the sun will rise~," Mrs. Potts sang as Belle danced with Beast and Ben danced with Mal as the music started to play. "Tale as old as time, Tune as old as song, Bittersweet and strange, Finding you can change, Learning you were wrong~"

"Ah... Young la'mour~" Lumiere smiled as he watched Mal and Ben join in on the dancing.

"Reminds moi of us in a former life~" Plumette smiled back.

Beast soon briefly lifted Belle in his arms as they shared a spin together.

"Certain as the sun, Rising in the east~," Mrs. Potts continued to sing as the two couples danced on the ballroom floor together. "Tale as old as time, Song as old as rhyme, Beauty and the Beast~"

Belle and Beast soon stopped dancing as they were close to the doors to outside.

"Tale as old as time, Song as old as rhyme, Beauty and the Beast~" Mrs. Potts soon concluded the song as Chip and Carina leaned against their mother.

Honchkrow seemed to smile as he watched Belle and Beast walk off together after Ben ended his dance with Mal by dipping her as she waved her free arm out over her head like a dramatic actress. Belle and Beast were soon outside on the balcony.

"I hope Belle can stay." Mal said softly.

"It can't be done." Ben sighed as he knew what was going to happen next.

* * *

"I haven't danced in years," Beast said to Belle as they stood out to look into the night sky. "I'd almost forgotten the feeling."

Belle didn't react or respond to him which felt a bit worrisome and uncomfortable.

"It's foolish, I suppose," Beast sighed at her silence. "For a creature like me to hope that one day he might earn your affection."

"I don't know." Belle said.

"Really?" Beast asked softly. "You think you could be happy here?"

Belle glanced back at him with a small smile. "Can anybody be happy if they aren't free?" she then asked.

The two were then silent again before they soon glanced over in the distance of where the village was, far, far away from them.

"My father taught me to dance," Belle soon said. "I used to step on his toes a lot."

"You must miss him." Beast said softly.

"Very much." Belle admitted, just as soft.

Beast began to give his next response some thought before he faced Belle again. "Would you like to see him again?" he then asked her.

* * *

Ben and Mal were soon seen getting ready to leave the castle, though Ben stopped himself.

"What is it?" Mal asked Ben.

"I shouldn't go with you," Ben told her. "I'm a beast. If they see me, Gaston might try to kill me."

"If they try to kill you, I'll use my magic to make sure they don't lay a hand on you." Mal said.

"Mal, I'm not sure." Ben frowned.

"Let me help protect you," Mal told him. "I protected you against Audrey and Uma and her crew. I can protect you against Gaston or anybody else who might threaten Auradon once we take the throne after our wedding," she then narrowed her eyes before they flashed green. "Even if I have to play a little dirty sometimes."

"Mal, no, you go with Belle; I'll stay here with the Beast, if this is somewhat like my parents' story, then it should happen the same way of sorts." Ben said.

Mal frowned a bit with tears in her eyes.

"We'll be back together again, I promise," Ben said as he took Mal's hands while looking into her eyes. "It's going to be okay."

"...All right, Ben," Mal said softly. "I guess I'll see you again soon then."

"You'll have to wait for Belle first." Ben said.

"Just wait for me." Mal told him.

The two shared a bit of a tearful hug before they split up.

"I'd like to see my father." Belle said as she was given the enchanted mirror.

The mirror soon flashed to show Maurice in the tavern and about to be taken away to be locked up.

"Papa!" Belle gasped once she saw that her father was in trouble. "What are they doing to him? He's in trouble!"

Beast felt emotional as he would rather Belle stay so that everybody could be human again, especially since it seemed like they became a romantic couple before he sighed as her happiness was more important than anything else. "Then you must go to him." he then told her.

"What did you say?" Belle asked, hoping she heard correctly.

"You must go to him," Beast stated simply. "No time to waste."

Belle looked at him and soon decided to give the mirror back, but he declined.

"No, you keep it with you," Beast told her as he decided to let her keep the enchanted mirror. "Then you'll always have a way to look back on me."

"Thank you." Belle said softly as she then looked back at him one last time and decided to run off to find Mal.

Ben came walking into the room after Belle had left as he already knew what happened. Beast sharply sighed as he let Belle go, but he had to do it because he loved her. Ben frowned softly as he walked over beside his father.

* * *

"Mal? Mal!" Belle called as she rushed away from the balcony, coming down the front stairs.

"I'm ready to go." Mal told Belle as she was already there with Honchkrow as she stood by the coat rack who then bowed at the sight of Belle.

"I'm afraid I am too," Belle replied. "So you know what has to be done?"

"Yes, we have to help your father." Mal told her.

"...How did you know?" Belle asked.

"Let's just say I have a sixth sense for these sort of things," Mal replied. "Let's go."

Honchkrow nodded in agreement. The doors were soon opened for them and they then took that time to leave the castle grounds as the coat rack bowed to them. Mrs. Potts looked soft as she watched Belle, Mal, and Honchkrow leave from upstairs.

"Well, Master, I have had my doubts, but everything is moving like clockwork," Cogsworth smiled as he came to see his master who bundled up in a blanket after Belle had gone back home. "True love really does win the day!"

"I let her go." Beast said softly.

"You what?!" Cogsworth suddenly gasped.

"Master, how could you do zat?" Lumiere asked.

"I do." Beast sighed.

"But why?!" Cogsworth asked.

"Because he loves her." Mrs. Potts stated as she saw the whole thing as Beast stared at the rose inside the bell jar.

"He's finally learned to love." Ben said.

"Zen why are we not 'uman?" Lumiere asked.

"Because she doesn't love him," Cogsworth replied gravely. "And now, it's too late."

"But she might still come back." Plumette spoke up.

"No. I set her free," Beast shook his head. "I'm sorry I couldn't do the same for all of you."

The servants all shared a collective sad look as they were doomed without Belle.

"Now, go," Beast then told them. "Our time is almost past."

The servants soon left the room. Ben bowed his head as he felt bad for them, but he knew and hoped that things would be solved properly in the end based on the bedtime stories he was told about his parents during the enchantment before he or his sister were born.

"Come, my love." Lumiere coaxed as he wrapped his arm around Plumette as they left the Beast alone.

Once the servants left, Beast was left alone with his thoughts. "I was the one who had it all, I was the master of my fate, I never needed anybody in my life, I learned the truth too late~," Beast sang to himself as he mourned the loss of Belle. "I'll never shake away the pain, I close my eyes but she's still there, I let her steal into my melancholy heart, It's more than I can bear~"

Belle was shown to be running through the garden with Mal and Honchkrow flying after them.'

"Now I know she'll never leave me, Even as she runs away, She will still torment me, Calm me, hurt me, Move me, come what may~," Beast continued as he watched them go as he ran inside his palace. "Wasting in my lonely tower, Waiting by an open door, I'll fool myself, she'll walk right in, And be with me for evermore~"

* * *

Belle and Mal were soon riding on Philippe's back as they were on their way back into the village as Honchkrow sat on Mal's head.

"I rage against the trials of love, I curse the fading of the light, Though she's flown so far beyond my reach, She's never out of sight~" Beast sang as he kept going. "Now I know she'll never leave me, Even as she fades from view, She will still inspire me, Be a part of everything I do, Wasting in my lonely tower, Waiting by an open door, I'll fool myself she'll walk right in, And as long, long nights begin, I'll think of all that might have been, Waiting her for evermore~"

"Now why can't my dad sing that beautifully?" Ben commented. "He sounds awkward whenever he sings aloud like he does for birthday parties and festivities."

"You couldn't get changed first like I did?" Mal asked Belle.

"I'm sorry, it was very sudden." Belle replied as she still wore her golden ballgown.

 _'Yellow? Ugh! That's, like, the opposite of purple.'_ Mal thought to herself in disgust of the color.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Meanwhile in the village..._ **

A buggy with black horses was shown to be coming to the tavern. Circe and Esabella smirked at each other as they watched Maurice being escorted outside.

"This man is weak." Gaston told the asylum owner.

"Please!" Maurice cried out as he tried to get free.

"He needs a hospital, not an asylum!" Gaston then said before Maurice was thrown into the carriage and he soon came to see the old man with a sly smirk. "Have you seen the inside of a madhouse, Maurice? You wouldn't last a week. Just give me your daughter and I'll set you free."

"Never." Maurice scowled, refusing to torture his daughter like that.

Gaston looked mad about that and soon closed the carriage doors. "Take him away!" he then called out.

The asylum owner, Monsieur D'Arque then made his horses leave the grounds to go back to where they came from with Maurice as the newest mental patient, but they didn't get far as Belle, Mal, and Honchkrow arrived in front of them on Philippe.

"They're back, Mother." Esabella told her mother.

"Yes, just as I suspected," Circe replied. "Especially that reforming daughter of Maleficent and Hades."

"Stop!" Belle called out as she made Philippe stop which also made Monsieur D'Arque's horses also stop. She then jumped off of Philippe as she ran towards the carriage with the enchanted mirror. "Papa!"

"Oh, Belle!" Maurice gasped once he saw his daughter. "I thought I lost you."

"Let him out, he's hurt." Mal told Monsieur D'Arque.

"We can't do that, Miss, but we'll take very good care of him." Monsieur D'Arque replied.

"My father's not crazy!" Belle defended as she faced the strong village man. "Gaston, tell him!"

"You know how loyal, I am your family," Gaston smiled innocently. "But your father's been making some unbelievable claims."

Mal narrowed her eyes as they nearly flashed.

"It's true, Belle," Jean added. "He's been raving about beasts in a castle."

"Mal, Honchkrow, and I just came from the castle and there are beasts!" Belle told them.

Honchkrow nodded in agreement as the villagers wouldn't understand him if he spoke.

"You say anything to set him free," Gaston retorted. "Your word is hardly proof!"

"You want proof? Show me the Beast!" Belle glared before she used the enchanted mirror.

The Beast's image was shown to be roaring and Ben was there with him and the townspeople recoiled in fear once they saw the beasts that Maurice was talking about.

"There's your proof, Gas-Bag!" Mal retorted to the hunter.

Honchkrow nodded in agreement as the enchanted mirror was enough proof.

"This is sorcery!" Gaston gasped as he took the mirror from Belle. "Look at those beasts! Look at their fangs!" he then said, showing the mirror to the crowd.

The crowd soon gasped in horror as they saw Beast and Ben's reflections in the mirror. Belle began to look worrisome as Mal began to hyperventilate in the background.

"HIS CLAWS!" Gaston continued as villagers began to look scared to death.

Honchkrow glared as he didn't like how Gaston even more for acting like Beast and Ben were monsters.

"No. Don't be afraid!" Belle cried out. "They're gentle and kind."

"The monster has them under their spell," Gaston retorted. "If I didn't know better, I'd say they even cared for them!"

"He's _not_ a monster, Gaston!" Belle glared firmly and fiercely. " _YOU_ ARE!"

"Ooohhhhh!" Honchkrow called out as Belle had just roasted Gaston, though Mal seemed to be hyperventilating still as her eyes flashed a bright green color which was never a good sign for those who knew her well.

"What's happening to her?" Esabella called out as she saw Mal's eyes flashing a bright green color.

"She's about to go into Dragon Mode," Circe told her daughter. "It happens when she gets upset or angry enough."

"The beasts wouldn't hurt anyone." Belle frowned at the crowd.

"I've heard of the effects of dark magic, but I've never before seen it with my own eyes!" Gaston soon called out to the crowd. "This is a threat to a very existence!"

The villagers all roared in agreement.

"We can't have them running off to warn the beasts!!" Gaston then demanded. "Lock them up, too."

"And the fun continues in 3, 2, 1." Circe whispered to her daughter with a smirk.

"No!" Belle cried out.

"Come on!" A man called as he and another came to grab Belle to put her with her father.

Two other men soon came for Mal as she backed up away from them before she felt her heart racing. Some of the villagers smirked as Belle was being sent away with her father.

"You won't get away with this, Gaston!" Belle called out.

The two men soon came closer towards Mal as she ended up backing up against the wall before suddenly, a puff of purple smoke came out which made the others look at her and they felt scared in shock before a young black dragon soon came out from the smoke and she began to roar and snarl once she was up in the air, flapping her wings while glaring at the villagers once her anger took over.

"Oh, this isn't good." Honchkrow said.

"Oh, this is going according as planned." Circe smirked.

Mal soon roared and blew fire at some of the villagers as they scattered around.

"Gaston, with all due respect--" LeFou spoke up, taking his friend's arm and trying to stop him from being so rash.

"Do you want to be next?" Gaston threatened.

LeFou was in stunned silence before letting go.

"Fetch my horse. Stand guard. Don't let them escape!" Gaston demanded before facing the villagers. "These creatures will curse us all if we don't stop them!"

Some of the villagers cheered in response to that.

"WELL, I SAY WE _KILL_ THE BEASTS!" Gaston then told them.

"Oh, he really shouldn't have said that." Honchkrow said as he knew how Mal would react.

Mal soon jumped down in front of Gaston and roared in his face.

"Strap it down." Gaston told the other villagers.

Mal roared and snarled before some villagers threw ropes at the girl to tie her down, so she couldn't fly away and even tried to tie her mouth shut so she couldn't breathe any more fire. Honchkrow soon flew over to attack the ropes with one of his attacks so he could help Mal get free.

" **KILL THE BEASTS!** " The villagers jeered as Gaston got ready as LeFou fetched his horse.

One villager soon grabbed Honchkrow into a cage to get him away from Mal.

"We're not safe until they're dead, They'll come stalking us at night, Set to sacrifice our children to their monstrous appetite, They'll wreak havoc on our village if we let them wander free~" The villagers began to sing amongst each other.

"So it's time to take some action, boys, It's time to follow me!" Gaston proclaimed as they got ready for the attack without the others having to meddle and ruin their plans. "Through the mist, through the wood, Through the darkness and the shadows, It's a nightmare, But it's one exciting ride, Say a prayer, then we're there, At the drawbridge of a castle, And there's something, truly terrible inside~," he then sang menacingly as they lit torches and began to leave the village. "It's some beasts, They've got fangs, razor-sharp ones, Massive paws, killer claws for the feast, Hear them roar, see them foam, But we're not coming home, 'Til they're dead, Good and dead, Kill the beasts!~"

LeFou began to feel bad for what happened to Belle, Maurice, Mal, and Honchkrow, but he followed the other villagers to the castle.

"Light your torch, Mount your horse~" The villagers sang.

"Screw your courage to the sticking place~" Gaston sang as the angry mob began to leave the village as they followed him to the castle.

"We're counting on Gaston to lead the way~" The villagers sang while following him.

"Call it war, call it threat, You can bet they all will follow, For in times like this, They'll do just as I say~" Gaston sang boastfully.

"There's a beast running wild there's no question, But I fear the wrong monster's released~" Le Fou sang.

"Sally forth, tally ho, Grab your sword, grab your bow~" The villagers sang as they came out of their home village. "Praise the Lord, and here we go~"

Gaston soon came to a stop as he held out the enchanted mirror. "Show me the castle." he then demanded.

And so, the mirror did as it was told, but the castle's inhabitants would soon be in grave danger.

* * *

**_Meanwhile..._ **

"At least he has finally learned to love." Lumiere sighed as he danced with Plumette.

"A lot that does us if she doesn't love him in return." Cogsworth said.

"Cogsworth, don't be like that." Ben sighed as he sat by himself.

"No," Mrs. Potts told the mantle clock. "This is the first time I've had any real hope she would."

A horse was soon heard outside which caught their attention.

"Did you hear that, Mama?" Chip asked his mother as he hopped over to the window.

"Oh, no..." Ben gulped worriedly.

"Is it them?" Carina asked as she joined her brother. "Are they coming back?"

"Could it be?" Mrs. Potts asked as she came to the window as well.

"I told you!" Plumette beamed until they saw who it was.

"Sacre bleu!" Lumiere panicked. "Invaders!"

"Ruffians." Mrs. Potts said.

"Come on, let's warn Dad--... I mean, Master Beast." Ben told the others.

The others agreed with him and soon went off to go and do just that.

"Well, there you go. So much for true love," Cogsworth scoffed before calling out to the other servants. "Man the barricades and hold fast!"

 _'Here comes the battle in the castle.'_ Ben thought to himself.

"Move aside!" Cadenza called out.

"Hearts ablaze, banners high, We go marching into battle, Unafraid, although the danger's just increased~" The servants panicked as they tried to barricade the doors.

"Raise the flag, sing the song, Here we come, we're 50 strong, And 50 Frenchmen can't be wrong~" The mob sang as they began to break down the door. "Let's kill the beasts!"

A part of one of the doors soon broke through. Ben soon dashed off to warn his alternate father while Cogsworth was following him.

"We need help." Cogsworth said.

"I'm going to tell the Master," Ben replied. "He just might not be in shape for fighting back though."

* * *

Mal soon gave up trying to get free with Honchkrow as she sat on the ground, sadly in dragon form.

"We need help," Belle said as she tried to look for a way out of the carriage. "I have to warn the Beast."

"Warn him? How did you, Mal, and Honchkrow get away from him? And how did she turn into that dragon?" Maurice asked.

"He let us go, Papa. He sent us back to you," Belle explained. "And I don't know how or why Mal turned into a dragon."

"I-I don't understand." Maurice stammered, feeling very overwhelmed.

Belle then took out a jeweled flower and let her father take it.

"...How did you...?" Maurice gasped at the sight of the trinket.

"He took us there," Belle told him softly. "I know what happened to Maman."

Honchkrow and Mal nodded in confirmation.

"Then you know why I had to leave her there," Maurice then said to Belle. "I had to protect you. I've always tried to protect my little girl. Probably too much."

"I understand," Belle coaxed as she comforted her father with an emotional smile. "Will you help me now?"

"It's dangerous." Maurice warned.

"Yes," Belle nodded. "Yes, it is."

Maurice smiled a little sadly. "...I could try to pick the lock," he then offered. "After all. It's only gears and springs."

Belle then nodded as she took the rose trinket to keep it safe as it was a trinket from her mother.

"Our work is almost done," Circe told Esabella as she held a special book in her hands as she cracked it open and the pages glowed once exposed. "Soon, we'll go after that thief son of Jafar and his precious girlfriend who's the daughter of that female Chinese warrior. Maybe we'll go after the Evil Queen Grimhilde's daughter next with her dwarf boyfriend. The biggest mistake was sending Cruella de Vil's son along with Cinderella's fairy godmother's daughter with Cinderella's daughter and that Pokemon boy into the world they were sent to. Nothing extremely dangerous there."

"What if the adventure duo's daughter and the homemaker maid of the original Beast's castle?" Esabella asked as Honchkrow gasped at what he had heard the original Enchantress and her daughter talk about.

"I'll have to be very sneaky and clever with them in order to appease Vor," Circe told her daughter. "Soon, it'll be as if that duo's adventures never meant anything and then the Disney Descendants will be wiped off the world, especially when that court composer's daughter worked with her adventurous cousins with Princess Sofia and the former puppet boy to destroy Vor in the first place."

"Did not see that coming." Honchkrow said.

Esabella glanced over as Circe smirked, holding onto the book which had a familiar red apple logo on it with a golden D on it.

"Wait... Didn't that one warlock give the legendary Cherry that book to keep track of all the Descendants?" Honchkrow asked himself in surprise as he recognized that book from when Felicity was still a student in Auradon Prep.

"Should we go now, Mother?" Esabella soon asked.

"We must," Circe replied before she made a sword appear out of magic. "Also, you can help Gaston slay the beasts, even the one here."

"Prince Beast and Ben of Auradon aren't here." Esabella said out of confusion.

"Not those beasts..." Circe said before pointing right at Mal. "That beast."

"Ohh." Esabella said, now understanding.

"We'll let them go free and meet Gaston and the other villagers at the castle," Circe smirked. "And then, when they arrive, there's no doubt that Maleficent's daughter will fly herself over and try to stop Gaston head-on herself. That's when you come to help and you stab her in the heart."

Honchkrow gulped as he feared the worst for his trainer as Circe and Esabella magicked themselves away to the Beast's castle as Maurice began to free himself and Belle from Monsieur D'Arque's carriage and where before long, he was successful and where soon Belle helped get Mal free. Mal looked over and grunted a bit.

"Don't worry, Mal, I'll get you out," Belle said. "Just please don't eat me or Papa."

Mal rolled her eyes slightly as that felt offensive.

"We'll use this to get you out too." Maurice smiled as he used something long and sharp to open the lock and decided to use it for Honchkrow's cage too.

It took just as long to unlock Honchkrow's cage that it did for their lock.

* * *

The villagers made it very close to the castle as they shouted out to kill the beasts as Cogsworth went to go see his young master about the situation.

"Oh, excuse me, M-Master," The mantle clock said nervously as he came to see the beast. "I'm so sorry to disturb you."

"She's not coming back." Beast frowned softly, thinking about Belle, Mal, and Honchkrow, though he missed Belle a bit more since he was in love with her.

No," Cogsworth said softly before warning him. "They're breaking down the doors!"

"Doesn't matter now," Beast shook his head, even if his castle was under attack. "Just let them come."

"We'll have to hold off the invaders." Ben told Cogsworth.

"I suppose so." Cogsworth nodded.

* * *

**_Outside..._ **

"Kill the beasts! Kill the beasts! Kill the beasts!" The mob chanted from outside as they continued to invade.

"This isn't working!" Mrs. Potts yelped as they couldn't keep the door barricaded.

"I know what to do." Lumiere told the others.

"Kill the beasts! Kill the beasts! Kill the beasts!" The mob chanted from outside as they continued to invade as the doors opened.

Some of the villagers fell right inside and ended up on the floor which made them groan. The servants all stayed still at first which wouldn't be suspicious as they were all furniture of course.

"Are you not the least bit concerned that this castle might be haunted?" LeFou asked as he walked up beside Gaston with his torch as some other villagers followed.

"Don't lose your nerve, LeFou." Gaston advised as he held the enchanted mirror close.

"Where are we?" A man asked.

"This place seems familiar..." Jean commented. "Like I've been here before."

LeFou smirked as he approached the two teacups and teapot on the tea tray that had faces. "Oh, hello, there. You must be the talking teacups. And you must be their grandmother." he then said to the tea family.

"Oh, boy." Carina smirked to herself.

" _Grandmother_?!" Mrs. Potts glared at LeFou for that. "Attack!"

This caused LeFou to gasp as that surprised him.

"Oh, hello!" Lumiere smirked as he came to life and lit up as the villagers gasped once the furniture came to life.

The villagers then panicked and shouted as more of them flooded into the castle, only to get pummeled by the servants who did whatever they could to protect the castle. Unfortunately, Gaston used LeFou as a shield. Carina noticed that and looked a bit disgusted that Gaston would do such a thing to his so-called his friend. The coat rack soon pummeled LeFou like they were boxers in a ring as LeFou didn't stand a chance. Cadenza suddenly came crashing down at the two men.

"Ah! Gaston!" LeFou cried out as he was thrown at the last minute and got crushed by the harpsichord. "Gaston... Help..." he then called weakly from underneath the instrument.

"Sorry, old friend," Gaston told him as he decided to just abandon him. "It's hero time."

"I highly doubt that's what I call being a hero." Carina muttered to herself.

"Ooh! Ouch..." Cadenza winced a bit as playing his keyboard gave him another toothache.

* * *

Meanwhile, Monsieur D'Arque wandered a bit before he saw something strange about the carriage and soon came to the doors and opened them up and looked wide-eyed to see that it was empty before shutting the doors and then saw Maurice right beside the carriage.

"Hello... Oh, uh, I believe this is yours." Maurice said as he handed the asylum owner the lock.

Then suddenly, Belle was shown to be riding off on Philippe as Mal flew in the sky after her new friend, still as a fire-breathing dragon.

"She's very headstrong. Do you have any children?" Maurice asked the asylum owner.

Monsieur D'Arque just gave him a long look.

* * *

"Mal, how did you become a dragon?" Belle asked her new friend as she tossed off the yellow ballgown.

"It's a long story..." Mal replied as they went back to the castle as quickly as possible.

"Well, we have plenty of time while getting back to the castle." Belle told her.

"...So you can understand me..." Mal realized.

"This dragon mode is new?" Belle asked.

"Well, I always knew about it, especially when my mother's told me stories about what she used to do before Auradon was created, but I just wasn't able to until I left my home which was the Isle of the Lost," Mal replied. "So I always knew I could turn into a dragon, but I never really had a chance to, except for maybe when I went to Witch School with my old friend, Mad Maddy."

"She must be an interesting person." Belle said.

"Oh, I could tell you more..." Mal rolled her eyes briefly.

* * *

In the castle, the villagers were still getting pummeled by the servants as they protected their home in the castle, though Gaston went straight for the beasts he was told about. LeFou soon woke up in a daze after Cadenza had gotten off of him as he looked slightly dizzy.

"No one to protect you now, huh?" Plumette asked with a giggle as she powdered LeFou's face.

LeFou grunted and groaned as he tried to punch at the feather duster, but that proved to be useless. Gaston continued to go up the stairs with his lit torch as he looked all around for the two beasts, looking ready to strike them down.

"Countdown, Chip!" Carina called out to her brother.

"You got it!" Chip replied before he swiped tea plates at the villagers to hit them. "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8!"

"Good show, Chip, my boy." Cogsworth smiled.

Cadenza soon rushed over with books on his top from the library.

"Excellent! The infantry's arrived," Cogsworth approved before the books soon began to fly out and attack more of the villagers. "Now, go and teach them a lesson. Go."

The villagers yelped as they got hit by books from at the top of the staircase.

"Yes, those are called books, you Third Rate Musketeers!" Cogsworth mocked before three men broke from the crowd and glared up towards the mantle clock which startled him enough to run away. "Oh! I'm off. Just a clock."

Madame De Garderobe soon got in the three men's way with a laugh. "Come here, little boys~" The wardrobe said with a laugh as she suddenly spun them around in the clothes she had which were all just for women. "I spin you this way. I put it on. Yes, pretty little boys~" she then giggled. "Yes! Beautiful!"

The three men were soon dressed like Victorian women with make-up and dresses. Two of the men panicked and ran off in fear and disgust of their new looks while one man seemed to like his makeover as he smiled at the wardrobe.

"Go! Be free! Be free!~" Madame De Garderobe beamed as she shooed them away.

* * *

Belle, Mal, and Honchkrow kept going on their journey back to the castle. Mal snarled as they got closer once they rode into the snow due to the castle's cursed eternal winter.

"This must be what it's like at home with Prince Elwin." Honchkrow commented to himself.

The battle continued inside the castle before Madame De Garderobe tossed Mrs. Potts in the air and she clung to the chandelier who soon spun her about.

"How do ya like your tea?!" Mrs. Potts glared as she poured scalding hot water from her spout. "Piping hot or boiling?!"

The villagers yelled out in pain as Jean looked up while flinching at the hot liquid.

"Oh! Mr. Potts!" Mrs. Potts gasped once she saw Jean before she suddenly fell from the chandelier.

"Mama!" Carina gasped

Chip felt just as worried as his older sister.

Mrs. Potts screamed as she fell through the air before someone soon caught her in his hands and that someone was LeFou! "Thank you!" The teapot said in appreciation.

LeFou nodded before ducking down suddenly with her before two villagers tried to attack them and Mrs. Potts then boiled one villager with tea.

"Take that!" Mrs. Potts told the villager she boiled with tea.

LeFou then punched the villager after that.

"Nicely handled!" Mrs. Potts approved.

"Well, I used to be on Gaston's side, but we are so in a bad place right now." LeFou said to her softly and emotionally.

"You're too good for him anyway." Mrs. Potts soothed.

"Yeah." LeFou nodded at that.

"Should we get back to it, then?" Mrs. Potts then suggested.

"Yeah." LeFou nodded in agreement before he took off to drive the other villagers out of the castle as he, in a way, reformed from bad to good.

"He made the right choice." Carina smiled.

"Is Mama okay?" Chip asked his big sister as he turned away. "I can't look."

"It's alright, Chip, she's fine." Carina smiled.

Chip soon looked back over and smiled back in relief.

"Such sweet music!" Cadenza laughed as he tackled and rammed against some villagers as he played his keyboard with gusto. "Stand back!"

"Silence that harpsichord!" A woman glared as she held out an axe.

"What?!" Cadenza gulped before he backed up as the woman approached him with her axe. "Uh-oh..."

"Maestro!" Madame De Garderobe called out.

"Darling! At last!" Cadenza beamed at the wardobe.

"I'm coming, my love. This is it!" Madame De Garderobe called to him as she got ready to jump. "The fat lady is singing!" she then began to sing like an opera singer as she flung herself off the top of the steps and soon crashed down in front of the woman and kicked her away.

"Bravissima!" Cadenza then beamed before he shot his keyboard keys at the woman and where the keyboard keys hit her as well as some of the villagers.

"Watch your toes!" Lumiere laughed as he set off some firecrackers.

The villagers then began to run off out the doors as they were defeated in their war against the furniture. The servants called out mockingly as the villagers ran away out the doors as Belle, Philippe, Mal, and Honchkrow made it to the castle grounds as they passed by the fleeing villagers.

* * *

Gaston was still climbing up the steps before he soon found Ben and Beast as they stared out in the distance as the hunter tossed down the lit-up torch and brought out a pistol for the two. "Hello, beasts," he then said, about to shoot them. "I'm Gaston. Belle and her friend sent me."

Beast just turned away as he was too sad and down in the dumps to care about what the hunter had to say.

"No, they didn't, liar." Ben glared at Gaston.

"Ooh, this one speaks." Gaston smirked.

"I don't suppose you wouldn't let a young teenage go free," Ben glared. "Would ya?"

"I'm afraid not, even if you can talk," Gaston smirked as he pointed his gun at them. "Were you in love with her? Did you honestly think she'd want you?" he then asked before he soon fired his gun to shoot at least one of the beasts.

Beast roared out of pain as he fell off the balcony. Ben flinched a bit as he grabbed his arm, though he looked like he lucked out as there was a tiny pinch in his arm, but no bullet wound or any blood.

"Looks like I'll have to come back for you later," Gaston glared at Ben. "I doubt you'll try to cross me. I know how the animal kingdom works, you little filth."

Ben growled as he never liked Gaston one bit. Beast soon fell to a lower castle tower, but not the ground as he grunted in pain and looked weaker than before. Gaston looked ready to go after him until he saw someone right behind him. "Belle." he then said softly.

"Where is he?!" Belle glared at Gaston, already angry once she caught up with Honchkrow, though Mal wasn't around.

"When we return to the village you will marry me," Gaston told Belle firmly as he got his pistol back out. "And that beasts' heads will hang on our wall."

Honchkrow disagreed as he began to attack Gaston with his attacks.

"Ow! Hey! Get off of me, you crazy bird!" Gaston complained.

* * *

Esabella was soon magicked over to the West Wing of the castle as she held the sword close and she began to look around for Mal. Unknown to her, Mal was waiting right in the room with only her bright green eyes shown as she snarled behind the shadows beside the enchanted rose and bell jar while Belle confronted Gaston.

"You will not kill him!" Honchkrow glared as he kept attacking.

"What a strange bird," Gaston glared as he tried to grab Honchkrow. "He'd make a fine addition to my collection."

"All right, Daughter of Hades and Maleficent," Esabella glared as she held her sword closeby. "Come on out and fight like a real professional, unless you're just a spineless coward like your VK friends and precious King Boyfriend."

Mal growled as she looked ready to fight Esabella.

"You won't succeed this mission," Esabella glared at Mal as she sheathed the sword. "My mother and I will make sure of it. It was bad enough that Cherry and Atticus meddled in this original story with your boyfriend's parents 20 years ago, but now you and your boyfriend will fail where they were victorious."

"Esabella..." Mal gasped as she saw her new friend.

"Yes, and allow me to slice after your black heart like Prince Philip did with your mother when Cherry and Atticus ruined that fairy tale too," Esabella glowered. "My mother, The Enchantress, didn't just want to punish Adam because he was behaving like a beast and punished his servants for raising him that way, she found him to be a disgusting child and Cherry and Atticus made it worse by their newfound friendship and going on their adventures like they had 20 years ago before any of us Disney Descendants had even been born," she then sneered. "And now you will go down like your mother did against the Prince Charming who is Audrey Rose's father."

"Sorry, but I don't plan on dying." Mal told her.

"Have it your way then." Esabella glared as she drew the sword.

Mal soon roared as she blew a fireball. Esabella did her best to dodge the fireball and soon began to fight Mal as a dragon like when Prince Philip and Atticus fought Maleficent with the help of Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather.

Gaston soon fell from the castle ledge as it broke down a bit as it seemed that another rose petal had fallen, but luckily for the hunter, he didn't fall down far and still had a chance to kill the two beasts of this castle.

"Dang it." Ben groaned as he should have known that wouldn't be enough to kill Gaston.

"At least his pistol fell." Honchkrow said as he flew beside Ben.

"Hey, Honchkrow, thanks for holding him off at least," Ben said before Gaston went to go after his gun. "Where's Mal? Is she okay too?"

"I should probably help her," Honchkrow gulped. "I heard about the worst thing that that one lady and her daughter are up to who we befriended in the village before we came to the castle to look for Maurice."

"I'll come with." Ben said.

"Just know that it might be dangerous," Honchkrow replied. "I overheard the original Enchantress's wishes about you guys and the others back in the kingdom."

"VKs too?" Ben asked.

"All of you," Honchkrow emphasized. "As in all of the Disney Descendants who were born after the United States of Auradon were created by King Mickey and Queen Minnie after Sora, Donald, and Goofy's sacrifices and the retirement of The House of Mouse."

"Seriously?!" Ben asked fearfully.

Esabella suddenly shrieked out. Ben and Honchkrow looked over as Mal set fire to the sword that Esabella was given, but it reflected the heat which made her drop the sword and hold her burning hand in pain.

"I did not expect that." Esabella glared as she held her burning hand.

"Then you must have not been expecting company." Honchkrow glared as he flew up to Mal's side.

Esabella looked a bit wide-eyed.

"Get out of here!" Honchkrow glared before he attacked the blonde girl next.

Mal soon began to calm herself down a little before a patch of purple smoke poofed out and she changed back into her mostly human form.

"Quit it!" Esabella shrieked as she started to make a run for it away from Honchkrow.

"May I?" Honchkrow asked Mal.

"By all means," Mal nodded before her Pokemon flew away. "...Though with her mother's plan, Esabella would just end up destroying herself since she's The Enchantress's daughter..." she said to herself. "I guess that's why we were sent here."

"Pardon?" Ben asked.

"Honchkrow told me that Circe the Enchantress had a plan that involves all of us," Mal explained. "The sons and daughters of the Disney Heroes and Villains. She wants to destroy all of us to bring back Vor who was defeated by Princess Sofia and Pinocchio with Felicity and her cousins when they were younger."

"Twisted." Ben commented.

* * *

_**Meanwhile back with Belle, Gaston, and Beast...** _

"I'm coming for you, beast!" Gaston shouted in determination as Belle went to try to stop the danger.

Beast clung to the roof of the tower he was on, but slipped a bit due to the castle about to be torn down due to the enchanted rose running out of petals. Gaston kept walking along the path he could still walk on as it crumbled and fell behind him on the way as he slid down the tower roofs and leaped himself after Beast, getting closer and closer while Belle tried to stop him. The chase continued on until Belle stopped at one of the windows. Beast struggled to keep up at one tower, but slipped a bit and kept nearly falling.

"No!" Belle gasped for his safety.

"Belle?" Beast wondered before he looked across from him and saw the girl there before he hopped from one tower to another as he looked very happy to see her. "Belle! You came back!"

"Mal, Honchkrow, and I tried to stop them!" Belle told him.

"Stay there!" Beast soon called out as he got ready to leap towards Belle. "I'm coming!"

Gaston turned his head around as he soon spotted him. Beast soon leaped around as he nearly fell from one ground, but luckily managed to pull himself up. Gaston soon grabbed a piece off of the balcony and decided to use it to hit Beast and keep him down on the floor. Belle soon took off running to try and save Beast. Gaston glared as he struck Beast against the bridge as the castle continued to crumble all around them. Beast got up only to be kicked right back down against the hard, snowy ground.

"Gaston!" Belle cried out. "No!"

Beast growled as he had enough of Gaston as he grabbed the piece the huntsman had and shattered it before grabbing Gaston ready to finish him.

"Don't let me go. Please. I'll do anything," Gaston begged fearfully. "Don't hurt me, beast."

Beast narrowed his eyes. "I am not... A beast."

Gaston still felt scared before Beast suddenly pulled him over and he was put down on the floor.

"Go!" Beast then demanded sharply. "Get out!"

Gaston then took that time to run away as that seemed to be the end of him for now.

Belle soon saw Beast was getting ready to jump over to her. "Don't!" she then told him. "It's too far!"

Beast soon went back a bit before lunging out anyway with a growl. Belle stepped back and luckily for Beast, he made it across and soon stood up in front of the girl. The two smiled at each other before suddenly, Beast fell right down as a gunshot was heard behind him as Gaston had come back and shot the beast in the back with his pistol. The castle began to crumble apart even more as the enchanted rose was almost out of flower petals. Mal held onto Ben as she looked very scared and worried about this world's Belle and Adam.

"Please!" Belle cried out as she tried to help Beast back up to his feet. "Come on!"

Gaston soon shot the Beast again which made him fall into the West Wing and Belle went after him and got ready to shoot yet again to kill the beast at once. Ben soon jumped out and roared as loud as he could at Gaston to scare him away which seemed to be enough to startle the hunter as he dropped his pistol, but also the floor that he stood on began to crumble even more before he soon fell and plummeted to his death.

* * *

"A fitting end to an evil man." Mal said.

"Too true." Honchkrow nodded.

"You guys okay?" Ben asked Mal and Honchkrow.

"Very much," Mal smiled softly. "You're going to be a wonderful king."

Ben smiled back as he then hugged Mal before kissing her.

"Oh, sure, leave me out." Honchkrow teased.

Ben chuckled as he petted the Pokemon on his head. Belle soon sat with the Beast as he was breathing heavily from the gunshots.

"You came back." Beast said to Belle.

"Of course I came back," Belle smiled tearfully as she took his paw. "I'll never leave you again."

"I'm afraid it's my turn to leave." Beast told her softly.

Ben, Mal, and Honchkrow frowned as they knew what that meant.

"We're together now," Belle told Beast tearfully and emotionally. "It's going to be fine."

"At least I got to see you..." Beast said softly as those seemed to be his last words. "One last time."

The last rose petal soon fell off just as Beast died in front of Belle.

"Oh, Ben, I'm sure it'll be okay in the end, but I'm worried." Mal said.

There was no response to that.

"Ben? Ben!" Mal soon called before looking over and gasped in horror.

Ben seemed to suddenly fall to the floor when Mal wasn't looking and appeared to be dead too somehow.

"No!" Mal cried in horror before falling to her knees.

Honchkrow began to try and get Ben to wake up even if he was dead.

"No... I don't understand... Why?" Mal cried.

"Looks like someone has rewritten your little happily ever after," Esabella told Mal before coming out from the shadows. "I might had been able to slay you as a dragon, but maybe you should be reunited with him." she then said as she brought out an enchanted sword.

"Why are you doing this?!" Mal cried as she hugged Ben's body while tears streamed down her face. "Don't you understand if you get rid of all of the Disney Descendants, that means the same for you? You're the original Enchantress's daughter!"

"That won't happen," Esabella replied. "My mother will make the next generation of Disney Heroes and Villains the way it was supposed to like how you were sent here and my mother sent your friends Charity Charming, Jane Godmother, Max Maple, and Carlos de Vil into the wrong alternate Cinderella reality since they were supposed to die."

Mal looked wide-eyed after hearing the last part.

"Now for the servants to just become knick-knacks." Esbella smirked.

"I can't believe you would do this!" Mal cried.

"Too bad, so sad." Esabella replied.

"No! Please, no," Belle cried as she held Beast as he seemed to be dead. "Come back."

"Ben... I love you..." Mal whispered sadly as her future husband was now gone.


	8. Chapter 8

The villagers were soon seen leaving the castle after they failed to kill the beasts and they did not see Gaston anywhere and didn't seem to really care all that much. The servants were outside, making sure the villagers were gone.

"We did it, Plumette! Victory is ours," Lumiere beamed as he carried his feather duster girlfriend. "Plumette? Plumette?"

Plumette didn't respond as she was now lifeless.

"Oh, my darling, Plumette," Lumiere frowned as he set her down as they were all becoming lifeless furniture. "Oh, no."

"Maestro, you were so brave," Madame De Garderobe said to her harpsichord boyfriend before she began to close her doors and became silent very quickly. "Goodbye, my love."

"Amore! No! Don't leave me!" Cadenza cried out before he began to cry with some music before he suddenly stopped and his candle lights even fizzled out.

"Chip! Chip! Has anyone seen him?" Carina asked as she hopped around.

"He ran off!" Mrs. Potts alerted as she came by with Carina.

Lumiere and Cogsworth looked a bit sad and concerned for the teapot mother and teacup sister.

"Where is my little boy?" Mrs. Potts cried before she suddenly became lifeless next.

"Mama! No, please, you promised me and Chip." Carina said before becoming lifeless.

Lumiere and Cogsworth looked very unfortunate.

"Mama! Carina!" Chip called out as he slid down the banister and flew in the air a bit.

"Oh, no." Cogsworth frowned deeply.

Chip's plate soon crashed and shattered on the ground and the teacup boy was about to be next until the coat rack caught the teacup boy in his arms and decided to sit him on the tea tray with his mother and sister once it was his time next. The only ones that were alive left were Frou-Frou, Cogsworth, and Lumiere. Frou-Frou was seen coming out barking at the coat rack, trying to get its attention before becoming lifeless.

"Lumière... I can't... Speak." Cogsworth stuttered to the candelabra.

"It's all right, Cogsworth." Lumiere soothed.

"I can't... Lumiere... My friend," Cogsworth said before he soon froze in place next. "It was an honor to serve... With you."

"The honor was mine." Lumiere nodded before he spun around and his candlelight went out.

Agathe was seen walking into Beast's room.

* * *

Belle and Mal continued to cry for their fallen beasts. Honchkrow just bowed his head and kept his eyes shut as he felt so sad and sorry for the girls.

"Come back. Please don't leave me," Belle sobbed as she cradled the corpse she cried on. "I love you." she then added before she kissed the Beast.

"It's too late," Esabella smirked before she saw something magical happening from the petals from the enchanted rose. "...What?"

Belle and Mal continued to cry. Suddenly, the bell jar seemed to shatter through some powerful magic before bright lights shined all around and the rose petals soon shimmered through the Beast and Ben as Mal and Belle soon noticed the magical gleams. 

"What's happening?" Mal asked while blocking the light of the magic from her eyes as it was bright.

Beast and Ben soon rose right up from the bright magic. Agathe watched this and lowered her hood as she helped out, even if Circe tried to make her think differently. Eventually, the two young men glowed even brighter before they were slowly turning back into humans.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" Esabella glared.

Agathe looked over to the blonde girl.

"This isn't the vision my mother had for Vor!" Esabella complained. "You Disney Hero and Villain Kids ruin everything! You all should never had existed!"

Agathe soon waved her wand towards Esabella, causing magic to send the blonde girl to be sent away from that world.

"Noooooo!" Esabella cried out before her voice faded as she disappeared.

* * *

Suddenly, the two young men came back down on the floor as they were both now enchanted in front of their true loves.

"Belle, it's me." Ben teased with a smirk as he faced Mal.

"It _is_ you." Mal teased back with a giggle before she hugged him while crying happily.

"This is incredible." Honchkrow smiled.

Belle smiled tenderly as she looked at the former Beast and knew that it was him once she looked into his eyes. The two soon smiled closely and decided to share a loving kiss with each other which would be very good for the castle. The castle soon rumbled again, but only this time, it was being restored and as the sun began to shine, the castle looked beautiful and more presentable while the eternal winter finally came to an end due to the spell breaking.

"Everyone is finally going to be human again." Honchkrow said, referring to the servants.

"They can live on," Ben smiled. "And have better lives."

Mal beamed about that as they stood together. Frou-Frou soon came back to life as a dog as he spun around and began to bark and chase his tail. He then came up to the former coat rack servant and peed on him. The servant groaned at that and shooed away the dog in disgust and misfortune.

"Madame!" Cadenza beamed as they both ended up in the clothes pile.

When the clothes pile lowered, the two were both human again and soon sharing a sweet kiss with each other, though Cadenza had some teeth missing since he shot out his keyboard keys at the villagers. Cogsworth soon changed from a mantle clock back to human. Lumiere smiled as he was shown to be human again.

"Lumiere." Cogsworth beamed at his dear old friend.

"Cogsworth, we beat ze clock!" Lumiere beamed as he hugged Cogsworth instantly.

White feathers began to shoot out from where Plumette was, telling them was turned back to human.

"Plumette!" Lumiere gasped as a hand came out and he rushed to help her out of the feather pile.

"Oh... Mon amour~" Plumette cooed as she was lifted out, wearing a white and feathery dress as she saw her boyfriend.

"Oh..." Lumiere smiled before they shared a kiss that seemed to make steam come out of his head like a burning candle still.

Plumette soon began to pat down the steam from on top of Lumiere's head. The two soon turned around and looked around as they saw the spell breaking thanks to the help of Belle. Cogsworth pushed the tea tray over and soon bumped it which sent the teapot and two teacups flying as they flew through the air together. The three soon changed back into their human forms and held onto each other as they slid down the tea tray like a sled down the steps leading up into the castle.

"Children! Look at you! You're a little boy and girl again!" Mrs. Potts beamed as she looked at her children before hugging them happily and kissed them warmly. "What did I tell you, darlings? You both smell so good~"

"I'm a young lady, Mama." Carina reminded as she was almost a teenager.

"Right, young lady." Mrs. Potts smiled as she hugged her children with glee.

* * *

All of the villagers began to talk excitedly as they returned to the castle as they remembered their memories in the castle before the curse. Mal and Ben smiled as they saw this before Honchkrow flew out and perched on Mal's shoulder at the happy ending to this tale as old as time.

"Darling?" Jean called as he came towards Mrs. Potts, Chip, and Carina.

"Oh, Mr. Potts!" Mrs. Potts beamed as she reunited with Jean, revealing him to be her husband as they shared a kiss.

"Beatrice! I remember!" Jean beamed back as they shared kisses before Chip joined on the hug before he looked over at Carina as she patted her kitchen dress down and looked over. "Oh, and who is this beautiful young woman?" he then smiled at the girl who was almost a teenager in age. "It can't be Carina. Carina's just a baby."

"I'm a young lady!" Carina insisted.

"It is Carina!" Jean then smiled before hugging her. "Oh, my little girl too."

"Oh, Papa." Carina smiled back as she hugged him back.

Agathe smiled as she was happy that everything worked out perfectly. 

"Henry? Henry!" A woman's voice called before she was shown as the woman who tried to attack Cadenza with an axe.

"Oh! Oh, dear." Cogsworth said as he sounded not too eager to see her again.

"Oh! I've been so lonely." The woman beamed before she grabbed him and hugged him instantly.

"Turn back into a clock. Turn back into a clock." Cogsworth begged himself.

"I can tell he isn't happy to be back with her." Honchkrow said, referring to Cogsworth.

"I can't imagine why." Ben chuckled as he petted Honchkrow's feathers.

"Lumiere, look!" Plumette called out as she saw two others coming out of the castle together, hand-in-hand.

"Oh! My prince!" Lumiere beamed before he bowed before the young man as Plumette gave a low curtsy.

"Hello, old friend." The young man smiled as he gave Lumiere a hug.

"I swear though, if his name is Florian..." Ben mumbled.

"Shh~" Mal chuckled as she playfully swatted his arm. "It's a lot better than Bertha."

"Oh! It's so good to see you, Master Avenant." Lumiere beamed as he hugged the young man back.

"Well, that's better than nothing." Honchkrow said.

"You saved our lives, Mademoiselle." Plumette smiled as she curtsied to Belle.

"Would you like to be nicknamed Florian?" Mal smirked at her Pokemon.

"No thank you!" Honchkrow replied, turning his beak up in the air.

"Belle, it's me!" Chip beamed as he came up to Belle and hugged her. "It's Chip!"

"And Carina!" Carina added as she also hugged Belle with her little brother.

* * *

Everyone was now making their way inside the castle a dance. Cadenza smiled as he played his keyboard while everybody joined together to share a dance together.

Madame De Garderobe beamed as she carried Frou-Frou in her arms as they watched the lovely day in the castle before she sang while the celloists also played their instruments. "Tale as old as time, Tune as old as song, Bittersweet and strange, Finding you can change, Learning you were wrong~" she then sang as Ben and Mal decided to dance as well.

Honchkrow smiled, happy for his trainer and her soon to be husband. Everyone seemed to enjoy the dance. Well, almost everyone as Cogsworth was dancing with the woman he wasn't too happy to endure with her company. Maurice smiled, feeling touched for his daughter as she danced with Avenant and he decided to paint a portrait of the beautiful moment.

"Winter turns to spring~" Mrs. Potts began to sing.

"Famine turns to feast~" Carina sang along with her mother.

"Nature points the way, Nothing left to say~" Mrs. Potts smiled warmly as she nodded her head at Maurice who smiled and nodded back at the kindly woman before she went to dance with her husband.

"Beauty and the Beast~" Carina smiled while watching Belle and the prince with her brother.

Mr. and Mrs. Potts soon joined the dance. Belle seemed to eye the prince strangely.

"What?" Avenant asked while dancing with Belle. "What is it?"

"How would you feel about growing a beard?" Belle smiled innocently.

Avenant seemed to respond to that with a playful growl. The two laughed before bowing at each other in their dance as they were going to live happily ever after.

"Certain as the sun, Rising in the east, Tale as old as time, Song as old as rhyme, Beauty and the Beast~," Carina, Madame De Garderobe, and the chorus sang as the dance continued before LeFou seemed to dance with a male villager by the name of Stanley and they seemed to enjoy each other's company a lot. "Tale as old as time, Song as old as rhyme, Beauty and the Beast~"

* * *

As the song ended, there was a bright light that shined through and suddenly, Ben, Mal, and Honchkrow were back in Auradon where they belonged, though they were all in the nurse's office with hot washcloths on their foreheads to soothe them.

"Huh--? What the?" Honchkrow asked out of confusion as he woke up.

"Oh, thank goodness," Evie smiled at them. "You guys must've hit your heads pretty hard."

"Yeah, that was quite the storm." Doug added as he carried Evie's Meowstic.

"Was it all just a dream?" Mal asked Ben.

"I dunno, it felt pretty real to me." Ben replied.

"Yeah, everything seemed real." Honchkrow said.

"That was some storm that hit," Evie frowned. "I'm afraid we can't figure out why or how it happened."

"I'm just glad it's over." Mal told her best friend before they hugged.

* * *

Eventually, Mal, Ben, and Honchkrow came out and Jay, Lonnie, Carlos, and Jane looked relieved to see them okay as they shared a happy group hug together.

"We thought maybe you were hurt or something." Carlos smiled.

"Nah, we're okay; we just had a rather adventurous dream." Mal said.

"I'm sure the dream was more than just a dream though." Jane replied.

"Probably." Mal shrugged with a bashful smile.

"Hey, there's my special little fairy girl~" A voice called as he came to visit the kingdom in time for Mal and Ben's wedding.

"Dad!" Mal actually beamed in excitement once she saw Hades and actually decided to run up and hug him.

"Oh, and what am, I chopped liver?" Another voice smirked as she came over finally, back to her full size and human-like form.

"Mom?" Mal asked.

Maleficent soon came to stand beside Hades.

"Erm... Are you two getting back together?" Ben wondered.

"Well, we don't know for sure yet, but we thought we might as well give each other another chance since you two are getting married." Maleficent said to the young bride and groom.

"Plus I guess I could take a break from Persephone." Hades rolled his eyes playfully.

"It'll be interesting to see them at the wedding." Honchkrow said to himself.

"Oh, I missed you both so much." Mal beamed as she hugged her best friends and parents.

"But there's one person who missed you the most, more than any of all of us." Hades then gave a small smile.

"Really?" Mal replied curiously. "Who?"

Hades and Maleficent moved out of the way as a dark brown-haired girl was shown to be speaking with some other Disney Hero and Villain kids as she had a bit of a more exposed bump in her stomach as she stood with the blonde boy.

Mal looked wide-eyed before she beamed with Evie, Jay, and Carlos as they all cheered the girl's name. "FELICITY!"

Felicity looked over and soon held out her arms before getting tackled into a group hug by her very best friends.

"Always great to see friends coming back together." Honchkrow said.

"It sure is, Honchkrow," Ben smiled. "It sure is."

Felicity laughed as she looked up at Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos before they helped her back up to her feet after they caught up.

"Just... What happened to us before then?" Ben wondered.

* * *

"We might've failed for you two, but we'll try again for someone else..." Circe's voice said from the shadows as she hid away with the book of Disney Descendants before looking towards Felicity and Chip while the book was turned to a page that had Maleficent on it. "And we'll make sure to go for someone that isn't related to Aurora, Maleficent, or Philip this time."

Felicity and Chip looked very happy to be back in Auradon as it was almost time for the wedding of Mal and Ben.

The End


End file.
